Season of Renewal
by OhBuddy66
Summary: The sequel to Season of Change. Picks up right where we left off. The journey continues for Deeks and Kensi as they work with Agent Fornell for Gibbs. Kensi realizes she is all in, Deeks is still unsure. Will the mission keep them from finding their way back to each other on a personal level?
1. Chapter 1

**Season of Renewal**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own NCIS, NCIS Los Angeles, or any of the characters, just borrowing them for some extracurricular fun.**

 ** _Author's note: Finally, the sequel to Season of Change. You'll want to read that first, if you haven't already, for this story to make sense. Theoretically, the plan is to update once a week. Realistically, that probably won't happen. I'll do my best but make no promises. I'd like to thank my wife for being patient and understanding while I scratch this fanfic itch. Much obliged, Mrs. OhBuddy66, much obliged :)_**

 _A sudden peace flowed through her whole being. Without realizing how they ended up face to face, she fell against the man she loved more than anything in the world, losing herself in the feeling of his arms enveloping her. They had a long road ahead of them, but she was never more sure - or grateful - for one thing in her life than she was at this moment._

 _Marty Deeks had forgiven her._

 **Chapter 1**

Deeks stared at the wall in the darkened room. The only light was the bluish glow coming from the big numbers on the alarm clock, shining like a beacon atop the nightstand. He was on his side of the bed facing away from her. He assumed Kensi was sleeping, although she wasn't yet doing the little snort-snore thing she usually did when...

His thoughts drifted back to the time they spent as Justin and Melissa sharing a bed while undercover, to that one night before she was taken away from him, all the nights they spent falling asleep on each others couches only to wake up in a tangle of arms and legs.

How times had changed.

In one week his life had been turned upside down and inside out, his heart torn to shreds - his body not far behind. All over an invitation to go snowboarding on their Christmas break. Who would have guessed at the unfortunate events that one little question would set in motion? A complete 180 degree flop from Kensi where she went from agreeing to go on the trip to Mammoth - instead, giving in to her fear of commitment and running away from him to another man. Deeks fleeing to the other side of the country to ease the pain of rejection by his partner, and then fighting for his life after willingly risking losing it to protect another. And now here _they_ were together again - Kensi and Deeks, Deeks and Kensi.

Except they weren't, really. Deeks knew they were far from being that kind of together, although he had a feeling Kensi was ready to go all in like nothing had ever happened. Oh, if it were only that easy, Deeks thought as he continued to stare at the wall. Yes, he had forgiven Kensi. He knew deep down that she would never _intentionally_ hurt him like she did. But she did. It would take some time to heal that wound. He had a feeling his chest and head injuries would be healed long before his heart ever would be. He sighed heavily, wincing from the pain that went shooting through his temple. He gasped, a small cry escaping his lips as he tried to keep quiet for fear of waking his partner.

Too late, he thought, as he felt her turn on the bed quickly. He wondered now if she had ever been asleep at all. She had probably been doing the same as him, lying there quietly as the internal dialogue and memories played on an endless loop.

"Deeks?" she questioned, concern evident in her voice. "You okay?"

He closed his eyes, thinking maybe he could fake being asleep but knowing Kensi probably wouldn't fall for it. It was worth a shot. He wasn't in the mood for more talking this night. He didn't answer her as he felt her sit up in the bed.

"Deeks? Are you awake?" Kensi asked again, her voice sounding hopeful.

Again he kept quiet. Kensi, assuming her partner really was asleep - or just not wanting to force the issue - gave up and rolled back on her side momentarily, sighing. Deeks was surprised then when he felt her scoot closer to his side of the bed just seconds later. He was even further surprised when she snuggled up against him, throwing her arm over his side and pulling herself closer.

She sighed contentedly at the contact with his body. He felt her relax against him after a few moments. Just when he thought she had actually fallen asleep he was shocked at what happened next.

"Your forgiveness is a gift I'll never forget. I know I don't deserve you, but please come back to me. I've missed you this past week. I don't think you'll ever know how truly sorry I am, Deeks. I was such a fool," she whispered softly, almost to herself. "I need my partner back. You know I mean more than partner, right? God, I love you so much." She kissed his shoulder blade lightly and let her head fall to the pillow. "Good night, Deeks."

Deeks squeezed his eyes shut to hold back the tears, eventually falling asleep with her words still playing over and over in his mind.

* * *

Fornell sat at his desk late into the evening. In front of him sat two file folders. One held information on LAPD Detective Martin Andrew Deeks, which he had already been through more than once. It was a stellar personnel file. Neither Fornell or Gibbs could understand why the man had not jumped at the chance to become an agent when it had been offered years ago by Henrietta Lange. The fact that the little woman had chosen him for her team to begin with spoke volumes about his character and capabilities. Fornell chuckled to himself.

"Screw NCIS. The FBI could use a man like Deeks," he said to his empty office as he picked up the other file belonging to Agent Blye.

Well past midnight now, Fornell stretched, groaning as he stood up from his well worn chair. He was calling it a night. His eyes burned from hours of reading the personnel files of the two very qualified individuals. After going over his own notes from his last op regarding this threat against Gibbs he was satisfied that his good friend had picked him the best team to work with. The mission? Track down the person, or persons, responsible for putting a hit on Gibbs and his entire team, and take them out once and for all.

Gibbs had warned Tobias that the two partners had some personal issues they would be working through once Detective Deeks was released from the hospital. Fornell was fine with that as long as they could keep it separate from the task at hand. Lord knows he'd had his own fair share of relationship issues. It came with the territory. That's probably why Gibbs had that rule of his about dating co-workers. Fornell smiled at the thought. Gibbs was certainly not in a position to be making rules about relationships. Okay, so maybe he'd give his friend a pass on that due to extenuating circumstances.

Fornell made his way to his car. He sat there with his eyes closed for a few moments, allowing the car to build up some heat for the drive home on this frigid early morning. He figured he'd give Deeks and his partner a day or two to figure things out. Hopefully the detective would be feeling a little more spry with a couple days' worth of relaxation away from the hospital. There were a few personal things he needed to take care of himself. Then it would be back to work.

* * *

Several days later Fornell sat in the hotel room of Agent Blye and Detective Deeks. He went over what he had gathered from his previous operation and the newest intel from the last few days. It had taken him a couple days longer than he thought, but they had more information to work with now. They had to have a plan that was rock solid. Agent Blye was a given, she was the shooter. He struggled with how exactly to utilize Deeks. It wasn't that the detective wasn't useful. On the contrary, he was a wild card. His undercover skills were quite possibly unrivaled.

Deeks' file was full of detailed accounts of his past work - both LAPD, and more recently, NCIS. Fornell wondered if his LA teammates were aware of his accomplishments. He had a sneaking suspicion that they didn't have a clue just how much of a badass Deeks was. Sure, maybe they had more training when it came to fighting. Deeks' strengths were outsmarting people, using his knowledge of the law, and his personality - which allowed him to connect with marks, gaining their trust and then taking them down when they least expected it.

"I'm hungry," Kensi stated out of the blue.

Deeks and Fornell glanced at each other and then back to Kensi, neither looked surprised at this.

"Agent Blye... Kensi," Fornell corrected himself, smiling, "you look like you could use a break. Why don't you go out and get us all something and bring it back here?"

Kensi stared back, her brow lifted in surprise at the suggestion. "But," she started, thinking of arguing that they should all go, then realizing Tobias wanted some time to speak with Deeks alone, she nodded, "Alright then. I'll be back soon," she complied as she walked towards the door. Stopping, she glanced back to the two men as they sat quietly. They both watched her closely, waiting to continue their conversation once she was gone. Feeling like she was intruding now, she gave another quick nod and slipped out of the room.

She leaned against the door once it clicked shut, sighing as she dropped her gaze to the floor. Listening intently, she hoped she would be able to pick up anything they might say. She could hear when they started talking but it was barely audible. She knew right away they were talking in hushed tones assuming she was trying to eavesdrop. Something didn't feel right. Why would they need to talk without her being present? Frustrated, she stalked off silently, the last couple of days dealing with Deeks weighing heavily on her mind, not to mention her heart.

She slipped behind the wheel of the Charger and keyed the engine. Sporting a Hemi just like Sam's Challenger, she enjoyed the powerful rumble coming from the exhaust. Releasing some of the tension that had been building, she launched the car out of the spot in the hotel parking garage. The rear tires screamed in protest as she accelerated to the exit. Glancing in the rearview mirror, she grinned at the bluish gray cloud of tire smoke. Feeling a little bit better, she pulled out in traffic.

As she drove she thought about her partner. He was still in quite a bit of pain but taking his meds like he should. It still broke her heart a little every night when Deeks would fall asleep facing away from her, refusing to let any part of his body touch hers. They had talked further about their situation. He needed to process what happened and wanted some space. It hurt, but she understood. She didn't have to like it, though.

* * *

Almost forty-five minutes later she slid the key card in the door and pushed it open. Backing into the room with an armful of carryout bags, she was surprised to see Fornell sitting there by himself when she turned to face them.

"Where's Deeks?" she asked curiously, noticing the bathroom door was open and lights off. A split second later her heart sank. His bag was gone. It had been there hanging in the open closet by the door when she left. Taking a few steps farther, she dropped the food on the bed, not caring how it landed or if it spilled. "Where is he?" Kensi demanded, her voice cold now, but tinged with worry.

Agent Fornell sat there with his hands on his knees. "I'm sorry we had to do it like this Kensi, but Marty's part of the operation has begun. Now we wait for him to make contact with us. Hopefully it won't take but a day or two."

He held Kensi's glare, her reaction obviously one of shock at this turn of events. Once again Deeks had slipped away from her. Truthfully, he was a little unnerved by her silence. He nodded towards the bags on the bed, finally looking away from the still speechless woman.

"What did you bring us to eat?" he asked, bravely attempting to change the subject.

Kensi's eyes were on fire as she shook her head vehemently, "No. _No!_ Don't try to change the subject. Where's my partner?" Kensi ordered angrily, taking a step towards Agent Fornell.

He held his hands up in surrender and nodded to the empty chair. "Why don't you sit down. We need to talk."

 _ **TBC**_


	2. Chapter 2

**Season of Renewal**

 **Disclaimer: I own nothing, just borrowing my favorite characters.**

 _ **Author's note: Thanks to all who have read, reviewed and favored this story. Much appreciated.**_

 **Chapter 2**

 _ **A few days earlier...**_

It was a sunny, gloriously warm Monday morning in Los Angeles - quite the contrast to the snowy, overcast, freezing weather back east in DC. Sam and Callen walked directly up to ops, skipping the bullpen altogether. Eric and Nell were already at their desks typing away. Hetty stood behind them both with a hand on the back of each of their chairs. When they heard the door to ops slide open, they all turned to see the senior agents appear.

"Mr. Hanna, Mr. Callen, so nice to see you both. Happy New Year. I trust you had an enjoyable trip home?" Hetty queried her two senior agents, her brow raised.

They both nodded, smiling at Eric and Nell as they both waved from behind Hetty.

"It's nice to be back, guys," Callen admitted.

"Yeah, admit it, G - you're just getting too old to deal with the cold," Sam teased his partner.

Hetty smiled at the comment. "So, do tell us how our Mr. Deeks seemed to be fairing when you left yesterday," the small operations manager implored.

Sam and Callen glanced at each other before looking back to their boss, their smiles fading.

"He's doing better, Hetty, but he's still hurting - both physically and mentally," Callen offered.

"There were a few rare moments where he was himself," Sam peered over to his partner before continuing, "with G or me," Sam added cautiously.

Hetty dipped her chin down. "I figured as much. Ms. Blye and Mr. Deeks have some mending to do," Hetty shook her head. She focused on both men again. "Anything else, gentlemen?"

Neither said anything right away but Hetty, as well as Eric and Nell could tell something was weighing on their minds. Finally, after taking another glance to his partner, Callen looked to Hetty with a questioning stare.

"What exactly do you know about Jethro's case Deeks and Kensi are going to work on?"

Hetty pursed her lips momentarily, clasping her hands in front of her. "Not much, I'm afraid. Why do you ask, Mr. Callen?"

"So you're saying Deeks winding up in DC at your suggestion, and then sending Kensi out there once he was hurt was really nothing more than what it appears to be?" Callen questioned his operations manager in a accusatory tone.

"What are you trying to say exactly?" Hetty replied, seemingly taking offense to Callen's implication that Deeks' trip was a cover to put him within the grasp of Gibbs and his team.

Callen smirked, "We," he started as he nodded to Sam, "just find it odd that Gibbs recruited them both for a job that has nothing to do with them. If Deeks and Kensi hadn't been there, would he have called you and asked to borrow them?"

Hetty shrugged, holding her hands out palms up. "I don't know, Mr. Callen. You should have asked him while you were there," she replied smartly.

"We did, Hetty," Sam proclaimed, "He wasn't exactly forthcoming with any information. In fact, he flat out refused to answer what Deeks' role would be at all, he just smiled at us."

"Apparently Jethro knew Kensi's mom and dad. He and his wife and daughter were all friends with Kensi's family," Callen added.

"Hmmm, yes. Well it stands to reason that Jethro and Ms. Blye's father were acquainted, wouldn't you agree? Both were trained snipers, both highly skilled marksmen. One can assume, then, that he is interested in Ms. Blye as a shooter, am I correct?" Hetty surmised.

"That's right, Hetty," Callen smirked. "You know more about this than you're letting on, don't you? What are you keeping from us?"

"Mr. Callen, I can assure you I know less than you think I do. I'm just as concerned about them both as you two are," Hetty replied swiftly.

"Don't forget about us!" Nell interjected, raising her hand to bring attention to Eric and herself. "We are worried about them, too," the red haired analyst pointed out. Eric nodded his head in agreement, pushing his glasses up as he did.

Hetty smiled and nodded back, "Of course you are, Ms. Jones, Mr. Beale."

There were a few moments of silence as they stood there letting the conversation sink in a bit. Callen looked to Hetty again finally.

"What do you know about FBI Special Agent Tobias Fornell, Hetty?" he wondered, glancing to Eric and Nell.

Both of them took the hint and spun around, typing away quickly. Soon, Tobias' photo appeared on the big screen along with other bits of information about the man.

Hetty sighed slowly. After peering at his picture she focused on Callen. "You should not question his abilities, Mr. Callen. Special Agent Fornell is a good man. Jethro would not entrust his life to him otherwise. It should speak volumes to you that Jethro also feels the same about Mr. Deeks and Ms. Blye."

Callen stared down his boss, his eyes changing from a look of distrust and worry to one of understanding and acceptance. He nodded slowly. Sam was still looking at the information on the screen. He glanced to Callen and then Hetty.

"Agent Fornell has extensive undercover experience. Deep cover. He and Deeks will be good together," he surmised, turning back to the screen once again.

"Indeed they will, Mr. Hanna," Hetty agreed, a slight smile curling at the corners of her mouth. It was nice to hear the former SEAL's acknowledgment of Deeks' skills as an undercover operative. He had come a long way in regards to his feelings on the early days of the detective's presence with the team.

"Is it too much to ask that you'll keep us in the loop with what they're doing, Hetty?" Callen asked hopefully, glancing to Eric and Nell as well.

Hetty smiled fully now. "Provided that doing so does not take away from your work here, Mr Callen. Do I make myself clear?"

Callen answered, "Of course," with his best poker face.

"Uh huh," Hetty chuckled, knowing full well Callen had no intention of ignoring this case. She turned to Eric. "Mr. Beale?"

"Um, yes Hetty?" Eric replied nervously, sitting up a bit straighter.

"Let's get to work, shall we? Why don't you bring Mr. Callen and Mr. Hanna up to speed on the case you two have been researching this morning."

"Oh! Sure, I uh... I can do that," he said, relieved. He snuck a peek at Nell, who just smirked and rolled her eyes at him before turning to face her own keyboard.

* * *

 _ **DC - Kensi's hotel room...**_

Kensi continued to stare down the grizzled FBI agent, troubled by the thought of Deeks once again being on his own with no back-up. Not only that, his health was still very questionable. How could Fornell just let him go like that? Feeling her anger shift to fear and worry for her partner, her expression softened.

Agent Fornell caught the change in her mood. "Please, Kensi, sit down. Marty can take care of himself. Let's talk, okay?" he cocked his head to the side, trying to reason with her.

"He shouldn't have to! Why did you go behind my back, Fornell? Why?" Kensi shook her head. "I _knew_ something felt wrong when you sent me off to get food. It was an excuse to get me out of the way. If you've done your homework, you know that I don't like being kept out of the loop. Deeks knows that all too well. I can't believe he agreed to this!" Kensi protested, her anger building again.

Fornell stayed calm, understanding what the female agent was going through. He knew this would be the toughest sell of the whole operation, getting her on board with this plan. It was hard enough getting Detective Deeks to leave without her. He was amazed at the bond the two shared. Even with things a mess on a personal level, the amount of respect and trust they showed for one another in the line of duty was incredible. Any doubts he had on whether or not they could work well together with the personal issues they were dealing with went out the window.

Fornell dropped his gaze from her a moment before replying. He lifted his head and faced her again. "I didn't give him much choice. Once we discussed the situation, though, he realized it had to be this way. If it makes you feel any better, he did warn me that you would probably kick my ass for this," he tried to joke his way out of the situation.

Kensi scoffed at Fornell as she plopped down in the chair her partner had been sitting in when she left to make the food run. She was plenty pissed, to be sure, but she held the smile that fought to grow on her face. She had placed a GPS tracker in Deeks' bag. All along she knew this was a possibility, being split up. A quick call back to Nell in LA would provide her with a location for Deeks. If they couldn't work together, at least she could keep tabs on his whereabouts.

* * *

Deeks stayed hidden behind one of the concrete columns at the back of the parking garage. He watched closely as his partner pulled in and found an empty spot. He fought to control his emotions. Deeks knew Fornell was right, they needed to split this op into a two pronged attack. He feared leaving this way, though. He knew Kensi would have a hard time accepting it.

Once he was sure she was safely inside and well on her way back to their room, he walked briskly to the beat-up Crown Vic Fornell told him about. Still not entirely happy to be abandoning Kensi with Fornell, he did look forward to losing himself in his work. The years spent with NCIS had been a blessing, but working alone was deeply ingrained in his blood. It was what he had done for many years and he was damn good at it.

Throwing his bag in the rear seat, he stepped over a few rows to the car Kensi had been driving. He pulled the small GPS tracker he found in his bag out of his pocket and squatted next to the driver's side door. Reaching underneath and sticking the tracker to the floor, he tapped it a few times. Happy that the magnet seemed to be holding it in place, he stood and returned to his car. He slid behind the wheel and keyed the ignition. Deeks grinned slightly, cocking his head as he thought how mad - no, _angry -_ Kensi was going to be when she figured out he had found the tracker she had placed in his bag. The smile faded quickly. He blew out a breath slowly, then adjusted the seat and rear view mirror. Taking a quick glance around the area, he backed the car out of its spot and drove to the exit. After waiting a few moments for an opening, he pulled out and disappeared in the heavy traffic.

 ** _TBC_**


	3. Chapter 3

**Season of Renewal**

 **Disclaimer: I own nothing, just borrowing my favorite characters.**

 **Chapter 3**

Kensi sat and listened to Agent Fornell explain Deeks' objective around mouthfuls of the Chinese takeout she had brought back for them. She picked at her own takeout, not really hungry anymore after returning to find Deeks gone. His mission was to befriend the contact Fornell had made from his earlier op. Fornell thought that if they could get Deeks in with whoever was behind the hit on Gibbs while he and Kensi worked it from the other side, they would have a better chance of getting everyone involved taken down - more importantly, taken down quickly. She understood the plan, she really did. She also really hated it. It was thought that the origination point for the hit was coming somewhere out of Mexico. Deeks very well could end up there, and soon. The thought riled Kensi up, even though she and Fornell would end up there, too, if that was indeed where the threat was coming from.

She thought back to the conversation they all had in Deeks' hospital room just a week ago. He had a connection there in Loreto. She wondered just how deep that connection ran. Surely she would have known if he had still been spending time there, wouldn't she? Of course she would, she thought. She knew for a fact that Deeks hadn't mentioned a relationship with anyone for quite some time. She could claim the same thing. Once she and Deeks started spending all their time together off the clock, she had stopped dating. The two had spent very little time apart in the last couple years or so.

Except after Sidorov.

While she was in Afghanistan.

Dammit, Blye, pull yourself together. You would have known if Deeks had slipped away to Mexico, she thought to herself. It was then she realized she had missed the last several comments Fornell had made. Tobias was headed for the door, promising to let her know when he heard from her partner. She nodded and did the same. He paused for a moment, staring at her. He realized she didn't have a clue as to what he had just said. Knowing it was something they had spoken of earlier that had caused her to zone out, he simply nodded back and slipped out the door. Once he was gone, Kensi sat the rest of her mostly full container on the table and quickly dialed Nell's cell number. Nell picked up on the first ring.

"Kensi? Is everything okay?" Nell asked worriedly, glancing around ops to see if Hetty was within earshot.

"Hey, Nell. I need you to do me a favor," Kensi started.

"Whatcha need, Kens?"

Kensi gave Nell the rundown about placing a small GPS device in Deeks' bag and why.

"That's pretty sneaky there, Agent Blye. Okay, let me see here," Nell tapped away at her tablet back in LA as Kensi sat anxiously waiting in DC.

"Uh, Kensi, are you sure Deeks left the hotel?" Nell asked curiously as the info she was looking for started to appear.

"Pretty sure. He's not here," Kensi chuckled sarcastically as she waved her hand at the empty room.

"Mmmkaaay...but just because he is not in _your_ room doesn't mean he isn't there, right?" Nell shot back.

Kensi stood up, her nerves on edge. "What are you saying, Nell?" She paced back and forth in the small area at the foot of the bed.

"Well, if this thing is tracking correctly, it shows he is still at the hotel. He's not moving," she quipped matter-of-factly.

Kensi stopped, holding her free hand palm up in a questioning pose, her brow raised. "Oh. Oh! Really? Okay...um, keep me posted when he makes a move? Thanks, Nell!" she suggested quickly before ending the call.

She fell back on the bed, her legs bent at the knee, feet still on the floor. "What are you up to, Deeks?' she sighed to herself as she contemplated why Fornell would have Deeks stay in the hotel but in a different room. Why would Deeks have moved to another room while Kensi was gone? Why couldn't he have just waited to change rooms until she got back if it was necessary that he had his own room?

She sighed heavily. None of it made sense to her and she felt like she was missing something. She was sure of her feelings. It didn't add up. Before she could give it any more thought she fell into a troublesome sleep. It was hours later when she awoke with a start. Another nightmare involving Deeks pulled her upright on the edge of the bed as she gasped for air, her eyes roaming the room frantically.

"Deeks?" Kensi called out to her partner, still not fully aware of her surroundings. "Deeks!"

She stood up quickly, then struggled to retain her balance. Her legs weren't cooperating after the extended time being bent over the side of the bed. She stumbled towards the bathroom as her mind cleared and she started remembering she was in the room alone, both Fornell and Deeks gone.

After a much needed bathroom break, Kensi splashed her face with cold water. Padding her skin dry with one of the hotel's cheap hand towels, she looked at herself in the mirror. Her eyes were dark, her hair a mess. She tucked a few loose strands of hair behind her ears and released a frustrated sigh.

Walking back to the bed, she pulled her phone out and opened her contacts. Her thumb hovered over Deeks' name for a few moments as she contemplated whether or not to call her partner. She took a deep breath and tapped the button, almost hoping she would hear his familiar ring through the hotel walls. Instead, it resulted in her call being kicked straight to voicemail. She flung her phone onto the bed.

"Dammit, Deeks, where are you?"

After staring at the phone, she looked at the food containers still sitting out on the table. Suddenly regaining her appetite, she inhaled the rest of her now cold takeout before tossing the empty carton in the trash. She placed the container she had bought for Deeks in the mini-fridge. Pacing once again, she decided it best to try to get some good rest for the following day. Sitting on the edge of the bed and kicking her boots off, she then stretched out fully on the bed and waited for sleep to overtake her once again.

* * *

Deeks drove south out of DC on Interstate 95. Almost two hours after sneaking away from his partner's hotel room, he drove in to Richmond, Virginia. He pulled off the interstate and found the nearest gas station/convenience store. He popped the battery back in his cell phone and sent a quick text to Fornell. He knew Kensi wouldn't take long to figure out he had ditched the GPS, maybe a day at most, and he suspected strongly that she would recruit Nell or maybe even Abby to start tracing his phone. While he knew that Kensi would not come after him - the less she knew, the less she would have to worry about - or so he thought.

A text came back seconds later. As he suspected, Fornell confirmed that Kensi was quite upset to find Deeks missing when she returned with their food. Deeks chuckled when he read the comment Fornell sent about his ass still being intact. There was also a piece of information to help him on his way. Deeks studied the name and address a few moments, then deleted the message and removed the battery again.

After a quick trip inside to purchase a few items, Deeks returned to the car. It took him a few moments to get situated, the past week spent recovering in a hospital bed taking a toll on his energy level. He felt lightheaded and it was becoming difficult to catch his breath. The more he tried to control his breathing, the harder it became. He started to worry he may have overdone it by agreeing to Fornell's plan to leave so soon. His chest began to ache and a shooting pain tore through his temple. Not wanting to draw attention to himself, Deeks began taking in his surroundings. He put the car in drive and slowly pulled out on the side street next to the station.

Eventually he realized he was feeling better, but when he glanced at the clock on the dash he was shocked. It had been nearly an hour since he left the convenience store and he had no idea where he was or how he had managed to get there.

* * *

Fornell chuckled to himself as he sat his phone on the nightstand. Detective Deeks was a brave man to cross his partner, Kensi Blye. Tobias completely understood the reasoning behind Deeks' reluctance to do so after seeing firsthand how she reacted to Deeks being gone. He almost felt bad for suggesting it now that they had made the split. What's done is done, he thought to himself. No turning back now.

Confident that the detective was well on his way to making contact with his target, Fornell settled into bed for the night and fell asleep almost immediately.

Two days later and still no contact from Detective Deeks, Fornell worriedly dialed a number on his cell and waited for an answer. When the person on the other end accepted the call, he knew he was not going to like the answer to his question.

"Any sign of him?"

The voice confirmed his fear and he quietly thanked them for the information.

Releasing a deep sigh, Tobias dialed Agent Blye's number, hoping with all that was good in this world that she had heard from her partner. If Deeks was in need of help, Fornell felt sure the detective would have tried to reach Kensi.

"This is Kensi," the brunette answered anxiously.

"Kensi, Fornell here. I'm just going to cut to the chase. Have you heard from Detective Deeks?"

There was a moment of silence from the other end before she slowly replied, "He's in trouble, isn't he?"

 _ **TBC**_


	4. Chapter 4

**Season of Renewal**

 **Disclaimer: I own nothing, just borrowing my favorite characters.**

 _ **Author's note: Thanks so much to everyone reading, reviewing, following, etc...this story. I really appreciate it. I apologize for not personally thanking everyone individually via PM like I had tried to do in the past. I just don't have the spare time to spend on here like I did previously. With that said, on with the story...**_

 **Chapter 4**

Agent Fornell didn't want to worry Kensi, but the truth was he was worried about Deeks himself.

"I don't know that he is in trouble. He checked in with me later that night after he left and everything seemed fine. I sent him a contact address and I thought I would've heard from him by now, but I haven't. I have a source close to the situation, and they say they have not seen him yet, either. I was hoping maybe you had heard from him," Tobias explained.

Not yet wanting to give away that she had hidden a GPS device in his bag, Kensi felt confident that a call to Nell would confirm Deeks was still somewhere in the hotel. Nell would have been in touch if Deeks was on the move. Kensi didn't know what game Fornell thought he and Deeks was playing with her, but she planned to call him out on it soon.

"No, no I haven't heard from him either. I tried calling him that night I came back to find him gone but his phone was off. He hasn't called back," she replied coolly.

Tobias told Kensi to meet up with him at Gibb's office so they could touch base and plan their next course of action. Kensi hung up with the FBI agent and sat down on the edge of the bed. She was beginning to get a bad feeling. Either Tobias was a very, _very_ good liar or he really did think Deeks was gone. But where?

Sliding her phone back out of her pocket, Kensi called Nell. The red haired analyst assured her that Deeks' GPS still had him in the same spot he had been in two nights ago when Kensi had first checked. Satisfied with Nell's answer, she again asked that she be notified as soon as Deeks showed movement. Nell agreed and they ended the call.

With a heavy sigh Kensi moved towards the bathroom to get ready for her trip to Navy Yard.

* * *

The drive to meet Fornell and Gibbs wasn't a long one. Kensi had checked in at the main gate and was looking for a spot to park outside the building Gibbs and his team called their home away from home. She had just pulled in and shut the car off when her phone buzzed in her pocket. Quickly digging it out and looking, she saw that it was Nell.

"Hey, Nell," Kensi answered cheerfully as she got out and locked the car.

"Kensi! Sorry I didn't call sooner, but we were briefing Sam and Callen on a case here and I had to wait until they left. Deeks is moving!" Nell exclaimed excitedly.

"Okay, whoa there...Nell, calm down. Where is he?" Kensi demanded, doing her best to keep her emotions in check.

"He just pulled in at Navy Yard. Maybe he's going to see Gibbs?"

Immediately Kensi started scanning the parking lot, hoping that any second she would see her partner's blond mop appear above the cars and start moving her way. Not seeing any movement yet, she felt disappointment setting in.

"Kens, are you still there?" Nell wondered when her brunette friend didn't reply right away.

"Yeah - yeah, I'm here, Nell." Kensi said slowly, still searching for Deeks.

"What do you think he's doing there?"

"I don't know. I'm here, I'm at Navy Yard, also. Agent Fornell wanted me to meet him here. Maybe he talked to Deeks and called him back here, too. I had just parked the car when you called," she explained to the analyst.

"That's great! Tell him Eric and I said hi, okay?"

As Kensi started walking towards the building she kept her eyes focused on the parking lot, still expecting to see her partner.

"Kensi? Is everything okay?" Nell asked worriedly. Kensi seemed a bit distracted, she thought.

Kensi sighed as she approached the door. Something wasn't right. "Yeah, everything is fine. Thanks, Nell - and hey, let me know if he moves again. As soon as you can, alright?"

"But he's there with you-"

"I don't see him, Nell, okay!? Just...just let me know if he moves again, please," Kensi cut her friend off.

"Okay, Kens. I'm sorry. I'll uh, I'll keep you posted."

"Thank you, Nell," Kensi said apologetically as she pulled up short of the entrance. She turned and scanned the parking lot one more time - one side to the other, and then back again. There were a few people walking amongst the cars, but none of them were her partner. Slowly she turned back to the door. With a huff, she shoved it open and walked through. Maybe Deeks was already inside, she thought. With that, she picked up her pace and headed for the elevator.

The elevator slid open. Kensi took a deep breath before stepping out into Gibbs' version of the bullpen. When she saw DiNozzo, McGee, and Bishop staring back at her, all with concerned looks on their faces, she knew Deeks had not beaten her here. As if to confirm that assumption, Gibbs and Fornell made their way down the stairs from Vance's office. When they reached the bottom, Tobias realized Kensi was standing there with the others.

"Any word from Marty?" Fornell asked hopefully.

Kensi squeezed her lips in a tight line, shaking her head slowly. "No," she all but whispered. "You?"

Agent Fornell shook his head that he had not heard anything either. "But I have someone in that area looking for him right now. They will find him and update us ASAP."

"Where exactly is _that_ area, again?" Kensi asked sarcastically, still unsure what to think with the recent confirmation from Nell that Deeks was somewhere nearby at this very moment.

"When Marty contacted me that night, he had made it to Richmond."

"Richmond? Richmond, Virginia?" Kensi asked exasperatedly. That can't be, she thought. Nell would have told her. She said he had not strayed from the hotel. Besides, Nell said he had arrived at Navy Yard at the same time she did just minutes ago.

"That's right, Kensi. Why is that such a surprise?" Tobias looked at her curiously.

Kensi met his stare, "But..." she started, hesitating for a moment as realization dawned on her. "Uh, never mind. So someone will let us know when they find him?"

Fornell studied the brunette agent's expression. He knew she was not telling him something. He would address it with her later. For now, he wanted to focus on going over the mission with Gibbs and his team before he and Kensi set off on their part of it.

Almost an hour later Kensi pulled her phone out as she slid back in her assigned Charger. She grimaced as she dialed Nell's number.

"Hey, Kens! How's Shaggy?" Nell inquired enthusiastically.

"Ha! I wish I knew. Apparently he is in Richmond, Virginia, according to Agent Fornell," she spat out.

"But, but what about his GPS? According to it, he is at Navy Yard!" Nell argued.

Kensi shoved the key in the ignition and fired the car up. "Pull it up, Nell, and tell me if he starts moving," she demanded as she shifted the car into gear and backed out. Kensi put the car in drive and took off for the exit. She hadn't gone very far when Nell confirmed what she had feared.

"He's moving again!"

Kensi made a loop around a row of cars and stopped. "What about now?"

"Okay, he just stopped," Nell reported.

Kensi took off again.

"Now he is moving again, Kensi. What is going on?"

Kensi slammed on the brakes and put the car in park. Slinging the door open, she climbed out and walked to the rear of the car. Taking a deep breath, she lifted the trunk and peered inside. Nothing. She opened the rear door on the passenger side and leaned in, her eyes scanning quickly over the seat and floor.

"Kens, you still there?"

"Yeah, I'm here, Nell. Just give me a minute!"

Kensi ran a hand under the seats. Not finding anything, she moved to the front and sat in the passenger seat. Looking in the middle console and still not finding anything, she popped the glove box open and shuffled through the various papers. Still nothing.

"Dammit!" Sitting there for a moment to collect her thoughts, her brow raised when an idea struck. Exiting the car, she shut the door and leaned down on a knee. Looking under the car now, she thought for sure she would find what she was looking for. When she didn't see anything immediately, she went around to the driver's side and squatted down again.

There it was.

Somehow her partner had known and checked his bag. As pissed as she was at the moment, she couldn't help the smile that threatened to break out on her face. Deeks had proven once again that he knew her all too well. Reaching for the tiny GPS unit, she told Nell what had happened and then ended the call.

Now sitting in the car once again, she smacked the dash hard in frustration as the situation sunk in. Fornell hadn't been lying at all. Deeks had been gone all along. She assumed now that he had probably been watching from somewhere in the parking garage for her to return that night and had placed the tracker under her car as soon as she disappeared inside.

"Where are you, Deeks?"

* * *

As the fog cleared from his mind, the first thing Deeks realized was that there was a warm body next to him in the uncomfortable bed. The second was that the warm body appeared to be female. A strawberry blonde female. As he became more alert, he was somewhat relieved to find that he was fully clothed and so was his bed mate, although he had instinctively wrapped an arm around her at some point during the night. He was currently spooning with this woman.

Wait, was it morning? Spooning? What the hell?

He pulled his arm away quickly, gasping as he did at the pain that coursed through his body.

The woman moaned softly and began stretching. Deeks watched as this mystery female stood slowly. She arched her back and yawned.

Deeks couldn't help but ogle her firm ass being pushed in his direction as she continued to stretch. She was definitely rocking a tight pair of jeans. Her reddish blonde hair tumbled over her shoulders, and as she started to turn towards him he averted his eyes to avoid being caught staring.

"Good morning, Detective Deeks," she said with a bright smile when she noticed he was awake.

Deeks looked her in the eye for a brief moment as he tried to remember how he ended up with this woman. He honestly didn't think he knew her, let alone how he ended up sharing a bed with her. Hell, at the moment he couldn't even remember where he was, period.

"Okay...wow. Um...Good morning? Who the hell are you?"

 _ **TBC**_


	5. Chapter 5

**Season of Renewal**

 **Disclaimer: I still own nothing, just borrowing my favorite characters.**

 **Chapter 5**

Agent Fornell hadn't warned her how attractive Detective Deeks was. His general description of 'shaggy haired blond, scruffy beard and blue eyes' just hadn't done the man any justice. And who would have guessed he liked to cuddle? Bonus points for the detective, she thought as she slid off the bed and stretched. Now, as she stood there smiling down on him from the side of the bed, she could see the confusion on the detective's face. He had been a bit of a wreck when she found him the night before. When Tobias had filled her in on the injuries he was recovering from she was amazed the man was even alive, let alone setting off on an undercover mission.

"Good morning, Detective Deeks."

"Okay...wow. Um...good morning? Who the hell are you?" Marty asked, not trying to hide his confusion from her.

She could tell he was at a genuine loss as to how they wound up in each others company. She reached a hand out to him. Deeks cocked his head, studying her face. Finally he reached up and took the hand she had offered, allowing her to help him to a sitting position.

"I'm Special Agent Erica Jane Barrett, NCIS. Everyone calls me EJ," she introduced herself as she let his hand drop from hers, but not before giving it a gentle squeeze.

He nodded to her, then glanced at their surroundings. He stood and went to the lone window on the opposite side of the room and pulled the shade back slightly, peering outside. Turning back and meeting EJ's stare, he rubbed his temple and then his chest, both still tender.

"I'm-" he started, but she cut him off.

"LAPD Detective Martin Andrew Deeks, liaison to NCIS' OSP. You work on Henrietta Lange's team. G Callen is your team leader. Sam Hanna is Callen's partner. Kensi Blye is your partner, and you both are currently prepping to work an op with FBI Agent Tobias Fornell," she finished for him.

He stood there open mouthed for a moment, then pursed his lips and dropped his gaze to the floor. Lifting his head up again, he smiled at her awkwardly.

"Ah, okay. Everyone calls me Deeks."

"It's very nice to meet you, Marty," EJ fired back immediately, her eyes locked onto his.

He chuckled loudly, "Nice to meet you, Erica Jane," he shot back. He stared her down with his bright blue eyes, daring her to respond. When she did nothing but return his look with a smirk on her face, he continued. "You mind telling me where we are? Or," he paused, holding up his hand and then pointing at her, "how about we start with what we are doing together and why did I wake up with you next to me in bed?"

Without missing a beat she replied, "Agent Fornell was worried when you hadn't checked in with him for a couple of days. He gave me a description of the car you were in and what you looked like," she shrugged nonchalantly.

"A...a couple _days_?" Deeks asked incredulously, his brow raised in surprise.

She nodded in the affirmative. "You left DC three days ago. On that first night, you had made it here to Richmond and checked in with Tobias. He's not heard from you since then. He called me yesterday morning to ask if I'd seen you show up at our contact's place yet. When I told him no, I also told him I'd look around. I found you last night not too far from here in your car. You were passed out in the back seat."

Deeks just shook his head. He was absolutely stunned that he had lost roughly two whole days. He did remember, vaguely, texting Fornell that night he stole away from Kensi's hotel room. After that, he can recall very little. "Wait, what? _Our_ contact? You...we, uh...you're working on this op with us?"

She smiled. "Not exactly. Well, technically, yes I am - but I'll explain later. Right now I need to call Tobias and let him know his missing detective is alive and well," she said as she pulled her cell phone out. "I'm sure he and your _partner_ are very worried about you," she smirked as she dialed.

* * *

Tobias was listening with a gleam in his eye, humored by Kensi as she explained about her little GPS trick that she had tried to pull on Detective Deeks. She had just commented on how she was going to kill her partner when his phone began ringing.

"I know you want to make Marty pay, Kensi, but hold that thought. This could be about him," Tobias explained as he pulled his phone out of his pocket. Looking quickly at the screen, he nodded to her as he lifted it to his ear.

Immediately Kensi's senses kicked into high gear. Although she was incredibly pissed that he had abandoned the GPS tracker and _did_ want to make him pay, she was also extremely worried about his health and hoped that he was safe. She waited, listening intently as Tobias answered the call.

"This is Fornell," he said. He saw the concern in Kensi's eyes and it appeared she was about to speak. He held up a hand as if to warn her not to interrupt him. "He _what_?" Another pause, this one longer. Tobias kept nodding his head, finally sighing, "You found him where?" He asked, seemingly dumbfounded as he glanced towards her one more time. "But he's okay? You're sure? Alright then, as soon as he's willing, carry on as planned and we'll wait to hear the news. And hey, thanks again for agreeing to help."

Kensi's stomach was doing all sorts of flip flops and she was sure if she didn't hear something soon she was going to lose her breakfast. When Tobias sat his phone down and looked at her shaking his head, she thought she was going to pass out. The suspense was literally making her sick.

"Spill it, Fornell! How is he?" She demanded, no longer able to contain herself.

"Calm down, Kensi. Marty is fine - a little disoriented, but otherwise okay."

"Where the hell has he been?"

Tobias chuckled. "Apparently roaming around Richmond. Yesterday evening EJ found him passed out in the back of his car in a Walmart parking lot. Last night they spent the night at a cheap motel. Deeks is a little confused this morning, but coming around."

Disoriented? Confused? Kensi wondered what had happened to throw Deeks off. That didn't sound like the Deeks she knew. "But...but, how did he...uh... So, passed out in his car?" Kensi wondered out loud.

"EJ said he was feverish and unaware when she found him. She was able to get him to a motel. After making him take in fluids and getting him cooled off, EJ said he fell back into a deep sleep. She was worn out by then, too, and she crashed for the night before remembering to call. Otherwise we would have heard from them last night," Tobias relayed to her the info he had received over the phone.

As soon as Fornell said 'she', Kensi felt her little green eyed monster come roaring to life. She did her best to tamp down the jealousy, but it was a struggle. One that did not go unnoticed by Agent Fornell. Kensi's mind was spinning with all kinds of visions of a sickly Deeks being attended to by this EJ chick. Just how did she cool him off? By helping him get a shower? Wiping him down with a damp washcloth? What had worn her out? None of the scenarios made her happy, but she knew deep down she had nothing to worry about. She took a deep breath to calm herself, thankful that Deeks had been located and was doing well.

"So what now?" Kensi asked, trying not to sound too whiny.

"You heard what I told her; as soon as Marty feels up to it they can proceed as planned."

"Okay, so..." she blew out a puff of air, her shoulders sagging, "so we wait again? Why can't we just go to them and wait together until he's ready?"

Fornell shook his head no, but smiled as he did so. "Kensi, I know you're concerned about your partner. You have nothing to worry about. Agent Barrett is perfectly capable of making sure Marty is taking good care of himself."

Kensi's brow raised in question to this comment. "Agent Barrett? Who is he? You haven't said anything about working with any other agents."

" _She_ is the agent with Detective Deeks right now. EJ is a field agent with NCIS. She had been Special Agent in Charge of Rota, Spain. She and her team followed a case back to the states a few years ago. EJ went through a bit of a rough patch. She lost her team and spent some time on the run. She's been staying under the radar. I thought she would be a good asset to have on call for this op. Turns out I was right." Tobias grinned smugly at this declaration.

Kensi grimaced, slumping in her chair in resignation. Tobias turned to face away from the brunette agent so she wouldn't see the grin spreading across his face. He shook his head slightly as he thought about the sparks that would fly between Barrett and Blye if and when they ever met with Detective Deeks in the same room. Now that's a confrontation he'd pay to see, he thought.

* * *

It took three more days of Agent Barrett nursing Deeks. He was as stubborn as they came and on more than one occasion she had to threaten him with bodily harm. He came to realize EJ was a bit of a badass in her own right and he eventually warmed up to her. They talked about the mission and what her role would entail if needed. She brought some supplies to Deeks. He nodded in acceptance at the items in the bag.

The night arrived that he was going to attempt contact with their person of interest. Deeks got himself ready in the small, dingy bathroom of the old motel room he had shared with Agent Barrett. He didn't know what he was looking forward to more; getting out of this crappy motel in general or actually getting back to work.

"Looking good, Marty," EJ smirked when he exited the bathroom. "Or should I refer to you as Stew now?"

"I can't believe you guys backstopped me as Stew Gilmer. Seriously?" He shook his head as he looked at the ID Agent Barrett had supplied him with. "Is that the best you could do?" Deeks glared at the woman.

"I'm sorry. How about Oneshot? Does that sound better?" She taunted him gleefully.

"At least that has some flair to it. Sort of alludes to my skillset, as it were," he smiled now.

She nodded in agreement. "Yes, it does. Don't forget that, detective," EJ replied, sounding more serious.

He tipped his head at her slightly as he grabbed his gear and moved to the door. "I'll be in touch."

"I'll be waiting, Marty - and hey, be safe out there," EJ warned him quietly, all humor gone from her voice and her expression.

He paused at the door and turned back to where she sat on the edge of the bed. He nodded slowly and then disappeared into the darkness.

* * *

Tobias and Kensi had spent the better part of the next few days waiting to hear from Deeks or Barrett, either one at this point. The lack of an update had Kensi nearly coming unhinged. She was tired of being holed up in this damn hotel and she was tired of worrying about her partner. She was bored out of her mind and Fornell was almost as infuriating as Deeks. Almost.

Tobias let himself into her room with the spare keycard just as Kensi's attention was drawn to breaking news on the TV.

"Hey, look at this," she nodded at the screen as Tobias stepped closer to see what was going on.

The reporter was going on about a shooting outside a bar in Richmond, Virginia. Police tape could be seen in the background, as well as a large crowd and several police cars. When it was announced that the victim was a federal agent they really became interested. When the name EJ Barrett came out of the reporter's mouth, they both looked at each other.

Kensi gasped, "Oh my God!"

Tobias stayed calm and pulled his cell phone out, the sudden shrill of an incoming text filling the room. He glanced at the screen and a small smile crept onto his face. He held the phone out for Kensi to see. She looked at it, confusion showing on her face at first, but then realization grew as she put the news story and the message on the screen together. She looked at Tobias, and when she saw him smiling, she knew they were in business.

The message on the phone was small, but it had huge implications. Two little words, and they both knew who they were from.

 _I'm in_

 _ **TBC**_


	6. Chapter 6

**Season of Renewal**

 **Disclaimer: I own nothing having to do with NCIS or NCIS: Los Angeles, I'm just borrowing my favorite characters for a little adventure.**

 _ **Author's note: Thanks to all who have taken the time to read and review up to this point; honus47, dawnpritchard66, kaaw, fanficforyou, That-Hamster-Wheel, purpledogsarecrazy, 974lk, RhondaLara, BeLikeABook, Khept, Hoosier65, bookdiva, chris4jag, iamchaos98, ilovemyjeep, JaspersMum, CoastalReader, db1205, basicnsync, MJ2709, ToOldToShip, and the few guests. Thanks for all the follows and favorites, also.**_

 **Chapter 6**

Deeks had been working to earn the trust of Fornell's contact - trying to worm a job offer, or something more sinister, from the man. He had explained he was new in town and had hinted at needing some work, on or off the books. It was taking him longer than he thought it should, so he decided to move to Plan B. He suggested they meet at a bar across town the next night. When 'Big P', as the man went by - living up to his rather large stature - agreed, they each went their separate ways. Deeks sent a text to EJ explaining when and where he would be the following evening.

Big P and 'Stew' met the next night. They shot the breeze and drank some beers. When Deeks caught EJ out of the corner of his eye, he nodded ever so slightly to acknowledge he saw her. She smiled and flipped her hair over her shoulder, turning and heading for the exit.

"Hey man, I'm getting tired of this joint. You know somewhere that has some friendlier ladies?" Stew asked of his new drinking buddy.

Big P laughed jovially and clapped his friend on the back. "As a matter of fact, yes I do my man! Let's go," he motioned as he slid off the bar stool.

They slithered through the crowd and exited onto the sidewalk. There were several dozen people meandering to and from the different establishments along this stretch of town. Deeks kept his eyes peeled for his back-up. He was hoping she would appear quickly. She did not disappoint the detective. He almost smiled when he saw the determination on her face as she stepped out of the shadows. It was the same look he saw on his partner's face on a regular basis.

EJ watched as Stew and Big P came closer, hoping their plan would pay off. She adjusted her jacket, making sure everything was in place and ready to go. The moment of truth had arrived. She stepped away from the doorway she had been hiding in and slammed into Big P as hard as she could.

"What the hell, lady? Watch where you're going!" Big P called out as he grabbed her to keep his balance.

"Maybe you should watch where _you're_ going, big man! What's the rush? You running from someone maybe? Huh? Is that it?" EJ swatted his hands away then stepped back and reached behind her, as if to pull a weapon.

"No, no, no - I ain't runnin' from nobody, lady!" He protested, his eyes getting bigger as she started to pull her hand from behind her back. He raised his hands in surrender, thinking for sure this crazy woman was about to shoot him.

Just then a single gun shot rang out and chaos ensued. Big P jumped at the noise that came from just behind him and to his side. The crowd started scattering in different directions, people screaming as they ran. The woman in front of him jerked slightly and all expression left her face as her eyes turned to somebody behind him. As he watched, she started to collapse. He would have sworn that it was like she was falling in slow motion. It was then that he noticed the red stain growing over her heart. She hit the ground face down. Her body convulsed once, but then she didn't move again. Something shiny reflected the storefront lighting off of its surface by the woman's right hand and it caught Big P's attention. It wasn't a gun at all, but a badge. He gasped when he realized what it was.

He spun around to face Stew, who was quickly tucking a small pistol back into his waistband. "Damn, dude...she's a cop, man! You just shot a fucking cop! Let's get outta here!" Big P rushed towards Stew and shoved him in the opposite direction. For a big man he was pretty damn quick on his feet.

"Hey! Stop pushing me, P! Fuck! Calm down, man. It's cool, just move calmly but quickly. Stop acting guilty, dude," Stew warned the man angrily as they made their way down the street, away from the body on the sidewalk.

"Okay, okay! I'm calm, man...really, but what the hell, man? Why did you shoot that chick?" He was anything but calm at the moment.

"She wasn't a cop. She was a Fed. In about two more seconds she would have recognized me, man. I don't need that kind of attention, you know what I'm saying?" Stew shook his head slowly at Big P, his voice cold, his eyes showing no remorse.

Sirens could be heard in the distance but they were quickly growing louder as they came closer to the scene. Stew saw an alley up ahead and ducked down it quickly. P followed without question.

"Maybe we better split up," Stew suggested, slowing now that they were off the main drag and mostly out of sight from passing traffic. "Been real nice knowin' ya." Stew turned then and started to run towards the other end of the alley.

"Wait, man!" Big P took a few deep breaths, wheezing as he did. Stew stopped to face the struggling figure silhouetted by the street lights glowing behind him. He peered around P, watching for anyone that may wander down the alley as the large man caught his breath.

"I ain't got all night, P. I'd really like to vacate the area. What the hell do you want?"

"I got a... I may have a job for you. If you're still interested," P huffed out as he drew in another deep breath and blew it out.

Stew took a few steps back towards P. "Go on," he prodded the man.

"Let me talk to my people, okay? I'll do that and I'll call you. Tonight, man. I'll call you tonight, like...just give me a few minutes. Half hour, tops." P looked at Stew, waiting for him to reply.

Stew nodded his head slightly, "Yeah, okay. Call me, man. I'm gonna go now. You gonna be alright, right?" He watched as P finally seemed to be getting his breathing under control. Sweat was pouring profusely from the man's pores even though it was a cold night.

P nodded and waved Stew on. "Yeah, man. Go! I'm cool. I'll call you soon man."

Stew tipped his head in P's direction as he started shuffling backwards down the alley before finally turning and running to the street at the other end. He made a left and once he checked to make sure no one was following him, he started walking. He had to slow down, the pain shooting through his chest and head threatening to take his breath away, too. He made it the several blocks to his car. Unlocking it, he glanced to make sure he wasn't being watched and then climbed in the back seat and pulled the door closed. He stretched as best he could in the back of the Crown Vic, laying on his back with his legs bent, his feet on the floor behind the driver's seat and his head resting against the passenger side rear door. It wasn't the most comfortable position to be in, but it would have to do for the moment. He was just relaxed enough that the pain was fading when his phone rang. He checked the screen and smiled when he saw that it was Big P calling.

"P, what's up? You doing okay now?" Deeks asked with the tone and attitude he had improvised for Stew. He listened for several moments as the man on the other end relayed information and made him an offer. A smirk crept onto his face as Big P came through for him. The charade he and EJ had played earlier just landed him a meeting with the people behind the threat on Gibbs.

He finished the call with Big P and then immediately sent a quick text to Tobias. Once that was done, he dropped his phone on his chest and let his arms fall to his sides. "Jackpot!" he exclaimed to the empty car as exhaustion took over. He chuckled to himself before the smile began to fade from his face, sleep doing its best to overtake him. He sat up gingerly then, exited the rear of the car and climbed behind the wheel. Back to the motel he went for a well deserved night's rest. He now had one more call to make tonight, though.

In the morning he would book a flight back west. Not to Los Angeles, but to Loreto, Mexico. Now, as he sat on the edge of the bed, he blew out a breath in frustration. He knew it would only take a day or two after his arrival that Tobias and Kensi would meet him there. He powered his personal cell back up and scrolled through his contacts, wondering if he still had another brunette's number floating around in there other than his partner's. He sighed when he found it. How long had it been? He sat back and tried to do the math. Too long, of that he was sure. Even though they had decided to just remain friends rather than trying to maintain a long distance relationship, he knew she would be hurt that he waited so long to contact her again. He hoped the day or so head start he had on Fornell and his partner would allow him enough time to smooth over any hard feelings and brief her on why he was there. He took another deep breath and hit the button, wondering what Eva Espinoza was doing right now on her side of the world.

* * *

The Wonder Twins were busy working their magic for Sam and Callen, who were busy tracking down leads on a case. They sifted through loads of information as their computers searched tirelessly in the background. Nell was just sitting a file down on the corner of her desk when something on one of the smaller screens caught her eye.

"Hey, Beale, check this out!" Nell commanded as she flipped the video to the big screen for a better look. It was breaking news out of Richmond, Virginia.

As they watched, they both were shocked to hear that a federal agent had been gunned down. Nell quickly punched the name of the agent into the NCIS database.

Eric skimmed through her profile. "Oh, wow! EJ Barrett had ties to Gibbs. You don't think-"

"Someone is already there and starting to take out agents close to Gibbs?" Nell finished his thought for him.

His eyebrows arched as he contemplated the possibilities. He spun in his chair and started typing. He stopped every few seconds as he checked his monitor, watching intently. It wasn't long before he let out a victorious "Aha!" He hit his keyboard with force to make his point and jumped up to face the big screen. He grinned as he glanced at Nell.

"What do you got, Beale?"

"Watch closely," he pointed to a moving crowd, "riiiight...there!" He turned to his partner, "Did you see that?"

She huffed out a heavy sigh. "Uh, uh...I missed it."

Eric rewound the tape and played it again, in slow motion this time. He stopped the video and zoomed in as close as he could. It was a grainy picture. "There." He pointed to a figure. Nell studied the screen for a few moments. The man wore a stocking cap pulled low and mirrored shades, even though it was nighttime - and the color of the hair sticking out from the cap wasn't blond, but he looked unmistakably familiar. And it appeared that he just shot a woman.

"Holy crap! Is that Deeks?" Nell exclaimed, her eyes wide in shock.

Eric nodded, wide-eyed himself now that he had watched it again. "I'll call Hetty."

 _ **TBC**_


	7. Chapter 7

**Season of Renewal**

 **Disclaimer: I own nothing, just borrowing my favorite characters.**

 **Chapter 7**

 _ **October 21, 2011**_

It was Friday afternoon. Hetty had just released the team for the day as they had no active cases and all paperwork had been caught up and turned in. Callen and Sam asked Kensi and Deeks if they wanted to join them for a drink as they packed up their bags.

"I'm game," Kensi replied cheerily. She took a glance at her partner who was busy stuffing his laptop in his bag. He apparently hadn't heard the invitation. Kensi had felt something was a bit off with her partner all week. Their bantering, while still there, had diminished greatly and Deeks seemed distracted. Normally he spent every day flirting shamelessly with her, making rude comments and more or less driving her crazy with his nonstop babbling. It freaked her out a bit, if she was being honest, the sudden shift in his demeanor. She'd never admit it to him, but she was a little worried by the way he had been acting since the case they worked earlier in the week was closed - the one with Eva, the police chief from Loreto, Mexico. Kensi had given her partner a ton of grief over her; Deeks insisted that they had made a connection while Kensi mocked him for his claim. It had turned out by the end of the case, though, that Deeks had been right. It seemed that Eva had a soft spot for their detective.

Maybe it was her competitive streak, or maybe just because Eva had gotten a couple good shots in on Kensi in front of her partner, but she had an extreme dislike for the woman. It didn't help that Deeks had pointed out Eva had tagged her and wanted to know if she was alright. Then Callen sensed the aggression in Kensi when he and Sam pulled up and he ordered her to walk it off. Later, it had given her all sorts of unfamiliar feelings to watch Deeks comfort Eva, holding her in his arms and telling her it would be okay as she cried into his chest. It was a side of her partner she hadn't seen before. She would never allow herself to break down in front of her team. To see Eva collapse against Deeks and take comfort in him - she kind of envied the woman for that, and that took her by surprise at how it had affected her. Deeks talked a big game and acted very shallow when it came to women. To see him be so gentle and caring seemed so unlike anything she expected out of him. And the little goodbye the detective and visiting woman shared at the back of the ambulance; the ribbing Callen gave her as the three of them watched that play out - Eva giving Deeks her necklace and then kissing him goodbye, even though it was just on the cheek, had been very unsettling to her. She had no idea what was said between the two of them but as Callen had pointed out, there was definitely a connection there. Though she wouldn't admit it, that feeling in the pit of her belly was jealousy - and she had no idea why it was there. He was her partner, a very annoying partner at that, and nothing more.

She looked at Sam and then to Callen. All three then focused their attention to Deeks. Once he had his bag situated, he looked up to notice three sets of eyes staring him down.

"Uh...did I miss something?" Deeks asked cautiously as he slung his bag over his shoulder.

"Seriously, Deeks? You didn't just hear us ask you and your partner to join us for drinks?" Sam responded sarcastically.

"Oh, uh..." he dropped his eyes to his desk, suddenly not able to look any of his team in the eyes - most of all his partner, Kensi. "No." He looked up at Callen hopefully. "Rain check?"

Callen studied Deeks for a moment before glancing next to him where Kensi stood and then across to Sam. Looking back to their liaison, he nodded his head once. "Sure, Deeks. Rain check. Big plans you have to rush off to? Got a hot date you don't want to keep waiting?"

"Hah! Yeah...um, no. See there's this...thing, and I...uh, yeah. Plans! I have plans. Okay...so I'll uh...I'll see you guys on Monday?" Deeks stammered as he hurried away from them and disappeared down the hall.

"Well that was weird, even for Deeks," Sam chuckled as he made eye contact with his partner. Callen laughed and shook his head. Sam glanced Kensi's way and noticed her looking towards the empty hall her partner had just vanished in. He studied the odd look on her face but couldn't put a finger on what it meant. Probably because it was one he had never seen on her before. "Everything okay there, Kensi?" Sam asked, his brow arched up as he waited for her reply.

Kensi didn't respond right away, then suddenly snapped out of the trance she had seemingly been in when she realized Sam was staring at her. "What? Oh! Yeah...yeah, everything's fine, Sam," she shook her head as if to clear whatever thought she was having out of it. "You uh, you guys ready to go get that drink now?"

Sam and Callen shared a curious glance. "Sure, Kens. Let's go," Callen offered as he moved past her, hiding the smirk on his face as he rolled his eyes at Sam.

* * *

 _ **Later that evening...**_

Deeks' flight was actually ahead of schedule. He watched out the window as the plane descended, wondering if his ride would be there waiting for him yet. It still hadn't settled in that Eva had invited him down for the weekend. After she returned home, they had exchanged texts all week long when they could. It surprised him when she had reached out to him after the case was closed. He had been quite taken with the female police chief when he first encountered her. At the time, he thought his partner Kensi was the most badass female he had ever met. Then, out of nowhere, there's this mysterious woman they are tailing that stands up to and gives Kensi a run for her money. That is until Deeks pulled a gun on her.

Right from the start he had felt a common bond with the woman, and not just because they were both cops. He found it a little humorous that Kensi seemed very jealous of her. He knew there was no way in hell Kensi would ever admit it - and really, there was no reason for her to _be_ jealous of Eva. They were just partners after all, and nothing more. Besides, Kensi treated him pretty badly. They all did, truth be told. Sure, he brought some of it on himself, but still. It always hurt a little more coming from Kensi, though. He wondered if they'd ever reach a point in their partnership where she would realize that without him having to say it. He seriously doubted it.

Then along comes Eva. Bold, tough, beautiful; willing to stand up for what she believed in, a competitive streak that nearly rivaled his partner's - and yet she treated him as an equal, trusted him without question almost immediately. The most surprising? Her unashamedly crying in his arms when the emotions of the case got to her. This was new to Deeks. Kensi had all the same qualities about her, and yet she was stone cold. No emotion was ever shown willingly, even though he knew inside she was torn up about something. She refused to appear weak. Eva, on the other hand, allowed him to talk her out of taking revenge for her little brother and her friends' deaths, took solace in his embrace as he spoke gently to her that it would be okay. It wasn't something that he took lightly. He was touched that she thought that much of him to be that open with him.

The plane touched down and taxied to the gate. Deeks grabbed his bag from the overhead bin and waited patiently to exit along with the other passengers. Packing light for the quick weekend getaway, he bypassed the baggage claim area and headed straight for the exit.

He had almost made it to the door when he heard her familiar voice.

* * *

 _ **Thursday evening, January 15, 2015**_

"Martin!"

Deeks couldn't help but smile when he her heard her call out to him. Even after all this time, to hear her call him by his full first name with her sultry accent still sent a warm feeling coursing through his soul.

He turned just in time to catch the brunette in his arms as she wrapped herself around him, burrowing her face in the crook of his neck and hugging him for all she was worth. He held her as tight as he dared, not wanting to send the sharp pains through his chest he knew were just waiting for one wrong move to reappear.

"Geez, Eva, you act like you haven't seen me in-"

"Too long, Martin," she interrupted, stepping back to study the detective's face. She reached up and ghosted her fingers over the still healing scar at his temple. Her eyes met his again for the first time in years. She made no attempt to hide her concern for him as the tears came. "You are okay?" Eva questioned him worriedly.

"I will be," he assured as he flashed her his big smile, his eyes lighting up as he continued to look at her. "Definitely doing better now."

She searched his eyes for any sign he was trying to hide something from her. Satisfied he was telling the truth, her mouth curled into a grin of her own as she wiped a stray tear from her cheek.

"Well then, happy belated birthday! Welcome back to Loreto," she declared sincerely.

Deeks looked at her, his smile fading as he thought about what she had just said.

"Martin? Are you sure you are alright?"

He dropped his gaze to their feet for a few moments, then met her now troubled eyes once more. He chuckled as he nodded, pursing his lips. "Wow. My birthday, it was...um -"

"Last Thursday. A week ago today," she finished for him.

"Yeah," he agreed sadly.

"You don't act like you had a good birthday. What happened?" Eva demanded of him.

"Nothing," he said as he shook his head slowly. "I uh...I forgot. We were working and um...yeah, forgot."

"It's settled then," she replied as she reached out and took his hand in hers, pulling him along with her as she headed for the parking lot.

"Wait, what is settled, Eva?" He inquired as he pulled abreast of her.

"The night is young, Martin. There is still plenty of time to celebrate your birthday," she smiled up at him as they made their way to her Jeep.

 _ **TBC**_


	8. Chapter 8

**Season of Renewal**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own NCIS or NCIS Los Angeles, just borrowing my favorite characters.**

 **Chapter 8**

 _ **DC - Wednesday evening, January 14th, 2015**_

Tobias had excused himself to the restroom after he had shown Kensi the text he received. She had grabbed his phone from his hand when it hit her she was reading a text from her missing partner. Kensi was incredibly relieved to say the least. Now she sat the phone down on the table and reclined on the bed, taking a moment to relax and wonder what their next move would be.

Seconds later, Fornell's phone began buzzing. Kensi jumped off the bed, glancing at the bathroom door. When it didn't appear he was going to exit the room to get his phone, she went ahead and picked it up. Not seeing an identifying name with the number, she immediately thought maybe it was Deeks calling. Without thinking, she swiped the screen and answered it.

"Deeks? Is that you?" Kensi asked anxiously. She was very disappointed when she heard an unfamiliar female voice on the other end instead of Deeks'.

"Answering Tobias' phone now, Agent Blye? You haven't killed him, have you?"

Kensi removed the phone from her ear and glared at the screen, as if that was going to do anything for her, and then returned it to her ear. "Uh, no. Who is this?"

"Your partner is quite the operator. You wouldn't happen to know what's keeping him from making the switch to NCIS now, would you?" The woman was antagonizing her, ignoring Kensi's question on purpose. Kensi took the bait.

"Look, I don't know who the hell you think you are, but-" Kensi started, but was interrupted by a sarcastic laugh from the other woman.

"Who I think I am doesn't really matter anymore, Agent Blye. Your partner shot and killed me earlier."

Kensi let that comment sink in for a moment before responding, "Agent Barrett?"

"Ah, so you _did_ see the news. I'm sure you had all sorts of questions for Tobias about me when you found out I was with your partner, am I right?"

"Um," she paused momentarily, thrown off track somewhat by this woman's attitude towards her. She had never met Agent Barrett, true, but she did harbor some hostility - and yes, jealousy towards her due to the fact she had been caring for and working closely with Deeks the last few days. Somehow EJ could tell and was calling her out on it. "What makes you say that?" Kensi was finally able to spit out defensively, at a loss for anything more.

Again, more laughing from the other end. "Call it woman's intuition. I'm sure you're quite familiar with it," EJ replied.

Kensi blew out a breath in frustration. "Fine. Yes, I did wonder who was with my partner and whether or not he was in good hands. Is there anything wrong with that, Agent Barrett?"

"Absolutely not. Don't worry, Agent Blye, I took real good care of Marty," EJ let the words roll off her tongue slowly, admitting nothing but letting the implication of her tone cause Kensi to wonder exactly what had gone on between the two.

Before Kensi could come up with something in return, Tobias came out of the bathroom. Seeing Kensi on his phone and having caught some of the conversation, he smirked when Kensi looked at him.

"Thanks for answering my phone, Kensi. I'll take that now," he offered as he reached out for it.

She huffed out a breath. "Here's Fornell," she spat out. As she pulled the phone away from her ear she heard "Nice talking to you, Agent Blye" before Tobias took it from her hand.

"Still like to stir the pot I hear, eh EJ?" Tobias remarked as he looked to Kensi apologetically. Kensi scowled at him before she turned her attention back to the TV.

"It was too easy to pass up. Girl has it bad for her partner."

"Maybe... maybe," he nodded even though she couldn't see him through the phone. "So, how does it feel to be dead?"

* * *

 ** _Saturday, October 22nd, 2011_**

"I never wanna leave this place! It's even more amazing than I remember," Deeks exclaimed as he leaned back and took in the view. He had been here before years ago with a few college buddies. Now, as he watched the figure before him exit the water and walk towards him, he was in no hurry to return to LA.

Eva smiled bashfully as she approached the detective, not missing his roving eyes taking in her sun kissed skin in the early afternoon breeze. She had picked a revealing bikini to wear for their trip to the beach. It apparently was having the desired effect because her beach companion could not take his eyes off her.

"I'm glad you approve, Martin," she said with a mischievous gleam in her eye.

Deeks couldn't help but grin at her, trying hard not to so obviously stare. He couldn't help himself. Deeks had spent a fair share of time with good looking women over the years, but none more stunning than the one standing before him right now - well, with the exception of his current partner, Kensi Blye. He tried to shake that thought from his head quickly. His partner was a stone cold fox; emphasis on stone cold he thought, not for the first time - and probably not the last. If Deeks were being honest, he couldn't deny a certain level of attraction between them. There was _something_ there, he thought. Something as yet undefined, although he knew Kensi would never in a million years admit to having _any_ feelings towards him. Not the good kind, anyway. Sure, she found him irritating, annoying, immature, loud, inappropriate...but none of those counted.

Eva's skin glistened in the sun as the water ran provocatively down her body. Deeks swallowed hard as she stood there in front of him. He watched a drop of water run from under her left breast; blazing its own zigzagging trail across her taught stomach, disappearing in her belly button. It was enough to cause another drop to form and run lazily from her belly button straight down to the edge of her bikini. He watched closely, fascinated by the way the already wet fabric soaked up the additional moisture. The white and yellow bikini bottom fit her figure perfectly. Eva was standing so close to him that her pubic region was pretty much right at eye level as he lounged there on the beach chair. The thin cloth of her suit held her snugly, her womanhood clearly accentuated in the bright sunlight.

He cleared his throat. "Um...I do. I do approve," he admitted slowly as he tore his eyes away from her thinly veiled mound and met her heated gaze.

She reached out a hand and he took it in his. She pulled him gently up out of the chair. Her eyes never left his. He found himself completely mesmerized by this tanned goddess in front of him. She turned away and guided him to a small outcropping not too far down the beach. It was quiet and secluded along this stretch. The huge boulders rose between them and the other beachgoers. She let go of his hand and turned to face him. The sun lit her face, the breeze coming in off the ocean whipped her hair as it danced over and through the rocky outcrop. Waves broke on the outer edge of the area and the spray cooled them both as they stood there in their own little space, hidden from wandering eyes.

Deeks stood still, taking in the vision of beauty in front of him. Eva leaned towards him, turning her face up to his. Stretching up on her toes, she brought their lips together softly. Deeks responded by placing his hands on her hips and pulling her closer. She wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him down, increasing the intensity of the kiss. She moaned into his mouth as he teased her lips with his tongue. He was gentle but persistent and she opened her mouth for him, his tongue slipping inside to explore. When they finally broke the kiss and she stood back her heart was hammering in her chest. No man had ever kissed her like that. Her body tingled with excitement at this new rush of feelings Deeks had given her.

Eva pulled her arms from around Deeks' neck and pushed him back against the rocks. She took a step back and slowly reached behind her and untied her top, letting it fall away.

Deeks watched in awe as her top dropped quietly to the sand at her feet. His eyes drank in every inch of exposed skin as she grinned at him.

Emboldened by the feeling coursing through her veins, Eva once again approached him and allowed his arms to envelop her. His hands ran up and down her back before dropping lower. She looked up into Deeks' eyes, letting herself get lost in them.

"Make love to me, Martin," she breathed heavily as she brought her lips to his.

* * *

 _ **Late Thursday Evening, January 15th, 2015**_

"Thanks, Eva. I really appreciate you and your guys spending time with me tonight." Deeks smiled at her and then nodded to the others in the room. She was no longer the chief, but she was still a cop, and her unit was much like that of Deeks' team back in LA; these officers were her extended family. They accepted Deeks as a brother without question.

"No need to thank me, Martin. You should have celebrated your birthday last week with your friends. With Kensi," Eva insisted.

Deeks pursed his lips, looking away from her. "Yeah. About Kensi," he began, pausing for a moment before looking to her again, "she uh..., we are-"

"Surely you two are together now, Martin?" Eva interjected.

He chuckled at that, shaking his head at how someone he hadn't seen in years, someone that for a short time had meant more to him than Kensi, sensed that the two were destined to be together.

"It's complicated, Eva. But yes, I guess you could say we were, _are_ more than partners," he explained vaguely.

"Tell me about it. Why the hesitancy?" She insisted, grabbing his hand and squeezing it.

He glanced around quickly before meeting her inquisitive stare. "I don't think we have that much time. It's a...it's a long story."

"I have nowhere to be. Talking to me about it might help you, Martin." Eva reasoned with him.

He smiled, shaking his head in wonder as he thought how lucky he was to have this woman not only understand him, but believe in him. The only other woman who had ever been there for him, other than his mother, was Kensi. He blew out a breath as he struggled to comprehend that. Long before Kensi had become that rock in his life, after his mother - there had been Eva. She had stormed into his life virtually out of nowhere. The connection they shared from the very beginning kept them close for a short but profoundly sweet period. The bond they had forged was strong and even though they knew the long miles between them would eventually be their undoing, they both had vowed to always be there for the other if they were ever in need.

Deeks took a deep breath and looked at Eva once again. She studied him for a moment and nodded, smiling softly.

Nodding back in return, he started talking.

 _ **TBC**_


	9. Chapter 9

**Season of Renewal**

 **Disclaimer: I own nothing, just borrowing my favorite characters.**

 ** _Thanks to MJ2709, DensiNCIS, Hannahdavies1993, CoastalReader, me, Hoosier65, and ucialum85 for taking the time to review the last chapter whether you liked it or not._**

 ** _Author's note: I'd like to thank anyone still following and/or looking forward to updates on this story. As some of you may have noticed, I have been slow to update. I apologize. I write when I have time. Obviously I haven't had much to dedicate to fanfiction lately. I feel the same frustration when following a story and it doesn't get updated as often as I'd like._** ** _I understand, I really do. The plan was to have this completed by now._** ** _Having said that, I'm considering not posting again until I get several chapters ahead. I WILL finish this._**

 **Chapter 9**

 _ **LA - Wednesday evening, January 14th, 2015**_

The door to Ops slid open and Hetty stepped in, wondering what Eric had found that had him so worked up.

"What is it, Mr. Beale? Is everything alright with Mr. Hanna and Mr. Callen?"

Nell and Eric both jumped out of their seats and stepped over to the big screen.

"Sam and Callen are good, Hetty," Nell assured their operations manager.

"Check this out," Eric said as he pushed his glasses up and hit a few keys on his tablet.

They both studied their boss' reaction as she watched the video Eric had found of their liaison. When the video finished, she turned to them slowly and then looked back to the screen.

"Again, Mr. Beale." Hetty requested as she clasped her hands behind her back and waited for it to play once more.

The video had just restarted when the door to Ops slid open. Sam and Callen stepped in and immediately caught how focused Hetty seemed to be on the screen. Eric and Nell glanced at the guys and then back at each other, both raising their brow at the concerned looks on their faces.

"What do you have, Eric? You find something else regarding our case?" Callen asked as he looked at the video.

When Hetty heard Callen's voice she quickly turned to Eric. "Mr. Beale?"

He immediately tapped the screen on his tablet, pulling the video down. Nell looked at Callen and Sam guiltily then spun, returning to her desk.

"Uh, nothing guys. Really. It, uh, it was...um-" Eric stammered, not sure what to say and hoping that Hetty would save him by speaking up any time now. He was greatly relieved when she did just that.

"Nothing of your concern, gentlemen," Hetty finished for him as she turned to face her senior agents.

Sam looked from the screen to Eric and then to Hetty. He nodded to the screen as he stared at his boss. "That was Deeks. Is he in some sort of trouble?"

Hetty held the big man's stare for a moment but said nothing. She was not surprised at all that the former SEAL had recognized their detective in the fleeting moment he was onscreen. She sighed as she knew it would be hard to keep the remaining team in LA focused on their own case.

"It _was_ him, wasn't it?" Sam asked again, his voice filled with concern.

Callen looked from Hetty to Sam, and then to Eric when Hetty still wouldn't reply.

"Eric, what the hell is going on? Hetty?" Callen began prying for information now, too.

Hetty shook her head slightly, dropping her head before turning to Eric. She nodded to him. "Go ahead and show them, Mr. Beale."

Eric looked surprised but knew not to question her request. Tapping his tablet again, he turned his head to the screen and watched along with everyone else as the now all too familiar event played out before them. Eric then played the news report about the NCIS agent being murdered.

"EJ Barrett was the victim?" Callen looked shocked as he put together what they had just been shown. "Did we just see Deeks shoot Agent Barrett?"

Sam looked at his partner. "You knew her?"

Before Callen could answer him Hetty spoke to everyone in the room, "None of you are to dig any deeper into this matter until I speak with Leon. Do I make myself clear?" Hetty's tone of voice was more stern than the team had heard from her in quite some time. After they all shook their heads in understanding she exited Ops.

* * *

"Good night, Leon," Gibbs nodded as he stood up.

"Same to you, Gibbs."

Leon Vance glanced at his watch and was surprised to see how late it was. He shook his head. If he didn't leave soon he'd be late getting his kids to the movie he had promised them. He leaned back in his chair and watched Special Agent Gibbs leave his office. Gibbs was as stubborn as they come. He had shown up at the director's office insisting they watch coverage of the shooting of Agent Barrett. Both were pleased with how EJ and Deeks had carried out that ruse. The operation seemed to be progressing nicely.

His phone rang. Sighing, he picked it up quickly. "Vance."

"Hello, Leon."

"Well, if it isn't Henrietta Lange. To what do I owe this honor? All is well on your side of the country I presume?"

"For now, Leon, for now. I have four people here that are too observant for their own good sometimes. What can you tell me about the breaking news out of Richmond?"

Director Vance smiled. "They've already figured out that it's your detective behind the shooting, haven't they?"

"Yes, I'm afraid so," Hetty admitted, sounding a bit perturbed.

"I'm in a bit of a rush so I'll give you the short version if that is alright."

"I'm all ears, Leon."

* * *

Hetty disappeared and the door had closed behind her. Sam and Callen wanted to watch the news footage and the video Eric had found of Deeks. They watched it twice, studying it closely.

After the second time through, Sam and Callen both began grilling the Wonder Twins.

"Where are Agent Fornell and Kensi?" Sam wanted to know.

"We haven't seen them." They answered in unison, glancing at each other quickly and grinning.

"What else have you got on Deeks, guys?" Callen demanded, seeming genuinely concerned.

"Nothing!" Nell insisted.

Callen smirked then, raising an eyebrow as he stared her down. Sam looked from his partner to Nell, then Eric, trying hard to hide the anger he felt building inside him. Eric looked terrified while Nell didn't seem fazed at all.

"Really, guys. This is um... this is all I was able to come up with - and I had to hack into local security cams to do it. Do you," he paused, lowering his voice, "do you know how much trouble I could get in for that? Besides, there haven't been any descriptions of the shooter released yet as far as we can tell," Eric came to Nell's defense.

"And there won't be," Hetty surprised them all as she reappeared just as quickly as she had gone. "Mr. Beale?"

"Yes, Hetty?" He asked anxiously, wondering if she had caught his admission to hacking cameras from thousands of miles away.

"Make that footage, _any_ footage," she emphasized, "that you may have found of Mr. Deeks go away."

Nell grinned. "Well, Beale," she said, smacking him on the shoulder, "it's not as impressive as you breaking the whole internet, but still pretty cool. Work your magic!"

Eric blushed, nodding his head and smiling at her. He turned and went to his desk, where he sat and began tapping on his keyboard.

"What did Vance have to say?" Callen asked stiffly, knowing she didn't want them - _him_ \- to get involved in Jethro's business, but demanded to know anyway.

"Yeah, Hetty, and where was Fornell and Kensi when Deeks was out there by himself?" Sam added, his concern for their liaison clear. He was not happy that Deeks was alone.

"Mr. Deeks, _Stew Gilmer_ rather, was not by himself, Mr. Hanna. He was working with Agent Barrett. She is still very much alive - and Stew Gilmer," she paused for effect, " _Mr. Deeks_ , is well on his way to getting inside the inner workings of those behind the threat on Jethro and his team."

"So the cap, dark hair, and shades are part of this Stew character's look?" Callen surmised.

"It would appear so, Mr. Callen," Hetty nodded in agreement.

"This Agent Barrett, she's NCIS, too, or FBI like Fornell?" Sam questioned, somewhat relieved but still not happy with the absence of Tobias and Kensi.

"Barrett is one of us, Sam," Callen explained as he turned to his partner. "I haven't worked with EJ but Gibbs speaks highly of her. She headed up the unit in Rota, Spain for a time."

Sam nodded, some of the tension seeping out of his expression further at this new information.

"Ms. Barrett will continue to assist on this. She will be accompanying Mr. Fornell and Ms. Blye to Loreto, Mexico. Mr. Deeks leaves tomorrow and they will arrive a day or so after that."

Sam looked at G, smirking. Callen was confused by his partner's look.

"What are you thinking, Sam?"

"Deeks must be a sucker for punishment, G. Come on - Loreto, Mexico?" Sam raised an eyebrow.

"I'm not sure I follow you, partner," Callen admitted, cocking his head in thought.

"The police chief? Eva? She was from Loreto."

The light bulb went off in Callen's head as he recalled Kensi's reaction to said woman. He chuckled now, nodding to Sam.

Sam nodded back, "Deeks in Loreto. You think Eva is still there? What are the chances she and Deeks had something going on after we met her on that case? And now Deeks is back there. With Agent Barrett. With Kensi, and possibly Eva, too? You know how Kensi gets when any woman comes near her partner, G. Look how she was with Abby when we were in DC."

"You're right, Sam. I hope Deeks can handle it," Callen grinned.

"Damn," Sam said seriously, slowly shaking his head before the smile appeared on his face again, "I almost feel bad for him."

Eric and Nell laughed at the remarks of the senior agents. Hetty just shook her head as she stood there, tolerating the mocking of Mr. Deeks by his teammates, if only for a moment.

"I'm sure Mr. Deeks will handle himself with the utmost professionalism, gentlemen," Hetty defended her liaison in his absence, although there was a hint of a smirk curling at the corners of her mouth as she turned away from her team and headed for the door.

She stopped before leaving, though, facing her agents and the Wonder Twins once again, raising a hand and pointing a finger, "Allow me to remind you that you are not to interfere with Mr. Deeks' and Ms. Blye's operation at any time. You have enough to worry about here in our own back yard. I will keep you up to date on their mission as time allows." She stood there for a moment looking from one to the other to make sure they understood her. Satisfied that they did, she nodded before turning and exiting.

Sam and Callen shared a quick glance before they turned their attention to Eric and Nell.

"Keep us posted," Callen tipped his head to the screenshot frozen on the monitor of a well disguised Deeks.

Eric swallowed hard, "Right."

At the same time Nell raised her eyebrows in surprise, "Um, okaaay," she agreed halfheartedly, glancing from the agents to Eric nervously.

"Let's go, partner," Sam reached out and pulled on Callen's shoulder.

Callen nodded to Eric and Nell, making sure they understood _his_ request, then spun and followed Sam out of Ops.

 _ **TBC**_


	10. Chapter 10

**Season of Renewal**

 **Disclaimer: I own nothing, just borrowing my favorite characters.**

 _ **Author's note: Thanks again to CoastalReader, honus47, db1205, RhondaLara, basicnsync, ilovemyjeep, MJ2709, 974lk, me, fanficforyou, and last but not least, Hoosier65 for reviewing and/or PMing me regarding the last chapter. I really appreciate it!**_

 **Chapter 10**

 _ **Friday, January 16th**_

The flight was taking forever. Kensi couldn't sleep and her mind had been racing ever since they taxied out for takeoff. Tobias, on the other hand, was out like a light before they left DC's airspace. It wasn't long after that when EJ fell asleep. They had met up with Agent Barrett at Navy Yard yesterday, the day after her "shooting". She brought them up to date on the little operation she and Deeks had run out of Richmond and the likelihood that it would end in success. EJ acted more civil towards Kensi once they met in person. They both were strong, resourceful women and each of them recognized that about the other. Even though Kensi thought she would never tell Agent Barrett this, she appreciated that the woman had done a great job backing up her partner. She was proud of herself for keeping the little green eyed monster at bay.

Not so much in regards to Deeks' next stop, however. Kensi was upset he had arrived in Mexico sometime yesterday. Even though they would meet up with him later today or first thing tomorrow, she had remembered why Loreto sounded familiar and why Deeks seemed nervous about talking about it with Fornell when they first met him.

Eva Espinoza was from Loreto.

Something must have gone on between Eva and her partner back when they had first encountered the woman. Deeks had tried to hide it, but he sure acted guilty of _something_ that day in his hospital room. Kensi tried to tell herself that what ever had happened, if anything, it was long before she and Deeks had entertained the idea of getting together. Okay, maybe not so much that neither had _entertained_ the idea...but before they admitted having feelings for each other. Deeks would never cheat on her had they actually been in a relationship at that point. Kensi suspected Deeks hadn't been on a date well before either of them acknowledged their 'thing'. She hadn't been either, long ago abandoning the first dates in favor of hanging out with her partner after work and even on some weekends. That was until she had the dumbass attack when Deeks asked her to go to Mammoth with him.

Kensi sighed heavily, flopping back in her seat in a huff. Still pissed at herself for almost going home with that douchebag the night she turned Deeks down, she was anxious to meet up with her partner. Another thought just crossed her mind. Here it was the 16th of January already. The 16th? A little over one week _after_ her partner's birthday! Holy shit, she thought, how did she forget again? Although it would seem that even Deeks had forgotten, no mention of it had been made since that day they had met Sam, the young woman he had saved. They both had been greatly distracted, not only by the tension between them, but also with the job at hand coming together quickly. She would have to make it up to him somehow when this was all over.

Suddenly feeling like someone was watching her, she glanced at Agent Barrett sitting across the aisle in the small jet. Kensi went on the defensive when she noticed EJ staring at her with a slight smirk on her face.

"What?" Kensi demanded.

"Relax. You know things will work out between the two of you. Deeks is just a little - confused right now."

"You don't know that. You don't know him like I - wait, how do you-" realization struck Kensi as she looked at the other female agent. "Did he tell you about...about what happened?" Kensi wondered out loud, feeling rather self conscious as she looked to EJ for an explanation.

EJ smiled and shook her head. "No. Actually, Abby and I talked. Let me apologize for giving you attitude when you picked up Fornell's phone. I couldn't help myself - I wanted to make you squirm a bit," EJ chuckled. "Just to set the record straight, Kensi - Deeks was a perfect gentleman. Aside from discovering he likes to spoon that night I found him," she paused when Kensi's eyebrows shot up, "he was fevered and out of it, I don't think he knew what he was doing. I never laid a hand on him."

Kensi felt the relief wash over her at EJ's admission. She knew she had to really work on her jealousy issues. She had never acted this way when she was with Jack. There were plenty of women that gave him attention back then but she couldn't ever remember reacting the way she does now when someone interacts with her partner. If Deeks was jealous of the men that hit on her he hid it well. Sam and Callen would argue that point, having witnessed it first hand, but she didn't see it. She wondered if it was because she knew under that guise of being a playboy Deeks was actually a gentleman just like EJ had pointed out. Knowing Deeks the way she did, she figured the women he had gone out with in the past meant something to him. He connected with them on a deeper level, where with Kensi, her dates meant nothing. It was just sex, and sometimes not even that. Bottom line was she didn't want to share Deeks with anyone. Even though they weren't officially a couple, she'd been acting like they were for quite some time. It was unfair of her to treat Deeks that way, to hold him to a different standard than she held herself to, but that is what it boiled down to.

"Well thank you. For taking care of him." Kensi must have looked just as surprised as Agent Barrett when the words left her mouth.

EJ smiled genuinely then, tipping her head in Kensi's direction once in acknowledgement. "You're welcome."

* * *

Friday morning rolled around and Deeks was up early. Eva had dropped him off at his hotel the night before. Excited to be in Mexico once again, he was actually looking forward to Kensi, Tobias and EJ arriving later in the day. The talk he had with Eva the night before had been good for him. He was able to get a lot off his chest. The anger he had been holding in was gone. Eva listened intently, letting him voice his concerns but giving just enough of a push to set him on his way to letting go of the hurt that still weighed on his heart. He knew that they had some work to do, but Kensi was still the woman he wanted by his side for the remainder of whatever crazy life he had left.

Deeks worked at readying himself for the day. Eva would not be involved in the operation that Deeks and the others were running, but she did give Deeks some valuable intel on Big P's contact. She also warned him of others to stay away from. There were gang wars and cartels all over the region. One didn't have to go far to find trouble. Sometimes trouble found you, whether you were looking for it or not.

Deeks would stay at the hotel under his assumed name until such time they had caught the person or persons behind the threat on Gibbs. When Fornell, EJ and Kensi arrived they would be staying at a safe house Eva had graciously offered for their use the night before. The only reason they would leave was if their leads took them elsewhere.

With the climate change Deeks had dumped the heavy stocking cap with the artificial dark hair sewn into it. Looking at his handiwork in the mirror, he smirked at his now very brown, slicked back hair. His scruff was inherently darker than his light colored hair, so he didn't feel the need to color it. His eyebrows, though, were a little too blond so he darkened them up to match the once shaggy mop on his head. Needing to stay in character, even if just for the look, was important. He had checked in under his alias Stew Gilmer. Not wanting to take any chance of someone looking into his travels, he had to keep up the charade. Detective Marty Deeks, LAPD liaison, was still recovering from his injuries in an unknown location as far as anyone else knew. Sliding his shades on, he grabbed his phone and wallet. Leaving his room, he headed out to meet Eva for breakfast at a little diner not too far away.

Marty stepped inside the quiet diner Eva had told him about and walked towards the back. He smiled when he saw her already sitting at a tiny booth. She looked up when she heard him approaching.

"Good morning, _Stew_ ," she smirked as she softly called him by his fictitious name.

"Good morning, Eva." He slid into the bench across the table from her.

Her eyes kept moving from his to the freshly dyed head of hair and back. When she noticed he had caught her staring, she smiled shyly.

"You look so different. I'm sorry for staring," she offered.

"It's a good look, I know! I'm rockin' this color, aren't I?" He pointed at his head animatedly.

She burst out laughing at his feigned confidence, knowing he was joking. Those that didn't know Deeks would not think anything of his hair, but those that did would agree on how ridiculous he looked. It wasn't that brown hair was bad or anything, it just wasn't _him._

"Maybe a ball cap would help?" Eva suggested and shrugged her shoulders.

"You wound me, Eva. Really, you do," he faked a frown as he clasped a hand over his heart.

She responded by tapping him with her foot in the shin under the table. Not hard at all, but naturally Deeks played it up.

"Hey! Take it easy there. That really hurt!" He reached down to rub his shin with a smirk on his face.

Eva rolled her eyes and shook her head gently at him.

They ordered their breakfast and continued to make small talk while they waited. Eva brought Kensi up again and was relieved to see that Deeks wasn't as uptight as he had been the day before talking about his partner.

"When do they get in?" She asked curiously.

He shook his head. "I'm not sure. Fornell said he'd call when they landed but that he thought it would be sometime this afternoon. Why?"

"No reason." She looked away for a moment, then met his gaze. She could tell Deeks knew she had something on her mind. She decided to be honest with him and continued, "I'll stay away from you once they are here, Martin," she said softly.

He cocked his head to the side in wonder. "Why, uh...why? You don't have to do that, Eva," Deeks insisted, shaking his head.

"I don't want your partner to feel threatened." She was trying to be gracious knowing that Kensi had a jealous streak a mile wide. She was willing to give them space, but Deeks wouldn't let it go, of course.

Deeks smiled. "You think...you think Kensi feels threatened by you?"

"You don't think she is? She should be, Martin." Eva stated confidently, but with a hint of mischief in her eye as she leaned towards him over the table top.

He chuckled then, dropping his eyes to the table and then bringing them up again. He knew she meant threatened by their friendship. But knowing that Eva probably could go toe to toe with Kensi Blye in a physical altercation, too, he didn't argue. "Okay, I'll maybe give you that one. Touché."

Before they could continue, their food was brought to the table. They sat quietly, enjoying their breakfast. Silent glances back and forth across the table were all the communication that they needed. Again Deeks was struck by how similarly he and Kensi's relationship had evolved from one much like he and Eva had for a short time to something so much more than either could imagine. He really was looking forward to seeing his partner. The sooner the better.

The peaceful morning was broken by loud voices outside. Just then a woman ran through the door screaming. Not too far off, the sound of gunfire could be heard and it was growing closer. Deeks and Eva glanced at each other, both sliding from their seats simultaneously and running for the door. Stopping at the entrance, Eva stuck her head out and looked down the street. Not seeing anyone but still hearing shots, she looked back over her shoulder to Deeks. She had drawn her service weapon.

"You are not armed, Martin. Stay here!" She ordered him as she ducked behind a truck sitting in front of the diner.

"Eva!" Deeks shouted to the woman, knowing it would do no good. He looked down the street just as a young man ran from a doorway about halfway down the block from them. Several shots rang out and the figure running at them dropped and rolled, screaming in agony before falling silent. Deeks scanned the area for shooters and then considered moving to Eva's location behind the truck.

"I said to stay put! Why can't you listen?" Eva questioned him when she saw what he was thinking.

Deeks looked at her but before he could reply another burst of shots rang out. The metallic thud as the bullets tore into the sheet metal of the truck she was taking cover behind was enough to get them both moving. She pushed herself towards the door Deeks had been standing in while he met her halfway, yanking her back as fast as he could. Bullets were flying all around them as they dove back through the entrance to the diner. Several ricocheted off the brick that faced the front of the building. Windows shattered and more screams could be heard as people ran for safety. Deeks rolled and got to his knees then reached up to the side of his face and felt it. Pulling his hand away, he was surprised to see blood. It was so warm on his fingers and a vibrant red in the sunlight streaming in the open door.

Shocked, he felt like he was seeing things in slow motion. All around them was chaos, but to him everything had grown quiet.

He looked up slowly to check on Eva. Her eyes met his and grew wide when she saw the blood and the startled look on his face.

"Martin?"

 _ **TBC**_


	11. Chapter 11

**Season of Renewal**

 **Disclaimer: I still own nothing, just borrowing my favorite characters.**

 **Chapter 11**

"Eva?" He called in return, still trying to process what just happened.

Eva looked at him with a pained expression on her face. "Martin," she said again, but quieter this time. She reached a hand out to him and it was then that Deeks saw where the blood had come from. Her other hand was clutched to her chest. A bullet had torn into her from the back and exited out her front, leaving a trail of destruction in its wake. It was her blood on his face.

"Eva! No, no, no! Eva, come on, stay with me. I got you. I got you, Eva. It'll be okay." He cradled her carefully as she collapsed forward into his arms. He rolled her gently on her back. A small groan escaped her lips as she settled on the floor. Her eyes never left his.

She knew this was it. Her day had come. She lifted a hand shakily and grasped his as tightly as she could.

Deeks watched as the life drained from her. The wound was massive and he knew there was nothing he could do to save her. It most certainly would not be okay. He made a feeble attempt to stanch the bleeding, knowing it was useless.

"Don't-" Eva tried to speak, but had to fight for a breath to continue. Deeks leaned down to hear her. "Don't make her-" she was able to get out before gasping for another breath, "Don't make her wait, Martin," she barely whispered as she shook her head slowly.

"I won't," he promised her. "I'm sorry, Eva. I'm so sorry."

She smiled slightly through the pain. "Do not be." The grip she had on his hand began to lessen. Her eyes still locked on his, she attempted to tell him one more thing. "I...I lo...love-" she was unable to finish her thought, but gave his hand one final squeeze.

"I know. I know," his voice broke as he dropped his head and let the tears fall.

Just like that, she was gone.

Deeks sat there by her side a few moments, still in shock at what had just transpired.

It didn't take long for Deeks to become aware of his surroundings again. The gunshots had stopped and there was shouting to be heard somewhere outside. The owner of the diner, an older woman, had come to Marty's side and was on her knees next to him. She was crying for Eva, having known her for years. The few other patrons that had been in the small restaurant had disappeared out the back through the kitchen area. The only people left were Deeks, the woman, and her cook.

Deeks stood and helped the old woman to her feet. She automatically grabbed on to him and allowed him to hold her as she cried. Finally an officer, one of Eva's coworkers, entered the building. Marty recognized him from the other night. This was Officer Zarazua. When he saw Eva he was overcome with emotion as well. When he got his feelings under control he radioed the situation in.

Pulling Deeks to the side, he asked what had happened. Marty explained everything that went down and the policeman shook his head.

"Thank you for being here with her, Detective Deeks," he spoke with a thick accent. "She cared very much for you, sir."

Deeks just nodded to the man, still unable to fathom that she was really gone. The man reached out and patted Deeks on the back and then guided him away as others came to take Eva's body from the scene.

"What can I do to help?" Deeks asked Officer Zarazua.

"Do not worry yourself about that. We will be done here soon."

"Did you get the shooter responsible for Eva's death?" Deeks inquired.

"Si. We did," Officer Zarazua confirmed.

Deeks felt some sense of satisfaction knowing that the person had already been apprehended. Had they not been, he knows he would have been overwhelmed with the need to bring her killer down.

"Where will they take her?"

"The local hospital has a morgue set up. She will be taken there."

Deeks didn't hesitate, not wanting to leave her. "I'd like to go there with her. If you don't mind."

The man nodded his acceptance of the request. "She would be honored that you made sure to stay with her until she arrives there. Go. Tell them I say it is okay that you ride with her." The man waved him towards the vehicle they were loading her body in at that moment.

Deeks nodded back. "Gracias." He turned and walked slowly to the men carefully placing Eva in the rear of the vehicle.

* * *

Several hours later, Tobias, along with Kensi and EJ, disembarked their small jet NCIS had chartered for them. Tobias called Deeks' burn phone. When he didn't get an answer, he glanced at the two women watching and listening to him.

"Maybe there's no reception where he is. I'll try again," he reasoned, just as much for himself as them. He tried again.

Still no answer.

Kensi and EJ glanced at each other, both somewhat concerned. Tobias had told them Deeks would be waiting for their call.

"Let's get a taxi and I'll try again in a few minutes. Maybe he just can't talk right now," Fornell decided, hoping that that was the case.

Kensi was a little upset. Letting her imagination run wild at the possibilities out there why he would ignore their call, all of them ended with him being with Eva. She realized where her thoughts were going and immediately cursed herself for thinking that way. There had to be a logical reason for him to not answer his phone. He could be working. His phone could have died. He didn't have a signal at his location. He could be hurt, or worse - dead. Oh God, she really had to stop thinking right now. At this point, nothing was going to ease her mind until they found him.

"Let me try him, Tobias. Maybe your phone isn't working." EJ pulled her cell out and swiped at the screen. Putting it on speaker, they all listened to the ringing on the other end before it finally kicked to voicemail. She looked up at her two companions. "Damn it," was all she said, shaking her head as she pocketed her phone.

After trying to reach Deeks several more times to no avail, they decided to go ahead and go to the safe house Eva had arranged for them. Thankfully Deeks had given that information to Tobias in his last communication with the detective. Once they unloaded their bags there they would attempt to reach their missing team member again.

The house was in a good location, plenty of vantage points to keep an eye out but plenty of coverage to keep wandering eyes from seeing too much on the inside. All three of them were impressed actually. Kensi made a mental note to go out of her way to thank Eva for the hospitality. She hoped Deeks would appreciate the effort she planned on making to get along with the woman.

There were two bedrooms in the home. The larger of the rooms had two single beds, so it was obvious EJ and Kensi would take that one. As they moved to drop off their bags in that room, Tobias threw his bag on the bed in his room and then tried Deeks again. To his surprise, someone answered. It wasn't Deeks.

"Hello?" Someone with a very raspy voice said. Tobias thought about hanging up thinking he had called the wrong number, but he knew otherwise.

"Who the hell is this?" He demanded.

"I'm sorry, sir. This is Javier. I...I work here," a worried sounding man replied.

"Where is here?" Tobias asked, becoming agitated.

"The...the morgue," Javier stammered.

Fornell's stomach clenched. "Why are you answering this phone, Javier? It belongs to a friend of mine."

"Again, I am sorry sir. The phone, it has been ringing. I...I just want it to stop."

Fornell could tell by the man's voice and reaction to picking up the phone that he was unsure of what to say. Javier continued, and Tobias' feeling was confirmed.

"Please, sir, do not tell my boss I answered the phone."

Not wanting to scare him off, Tobias went along with the man's request.

"I won't, Javier. Now, can you tell me where my friend is?"

"Si. He is here in the morgue. There was a shooting earlier and they brought them here."

"Them?"

"Your friend and a woman, sir," Javier said sadly.

Fornell was at a loss for words. After a few moments, he told Javier thanks and that he was coming to see his friend. He ended the call. Turning to see the women standing in the door to his room, he wasn't sure how to break the news to them. Especially Kensi.

As if on cue, Kensi demanded to know who he was talking to.

"Who was that?" She quipped, staring at him with her attitude filled eyes.

He glanced at EJ and back to Kensi. Both of them were getting more impatient with each passing second. He sighed, averting his gaze from them both.

"That was Javier. I just tried Deeks again and...and I got Javier." He held his phone up. He looked at them again, not surprised at their expressions.

Both were staring him down, confused and needing more information. Kensi had gone from confrontational to concerned. Her fists were clenched at her sides.

EJ beat her to the punch on the next question. "So why is _Javier_ answering Deeks' phone?"

Kensi turned to EJ and back to Fornell, waiting for his reply.

Tobias felt like he was going to be sick. He wanted to be anywhere but here at this moment. He decided to just barge ahead and get it out there.

"EJ...Kensi," he shook his head then dropped his head slightly, "Javier answered Deeks' phone because we kept calling it and he was tired of the ringing. Javier works at-" he paused, bracing himself for the reaction to his next words. "He works at the morgue."

She moved so fast Tobias didn't see her coming until her face was right in his, his shirt bunched up in her hands.

"What...what are you saying, Agent Fornell?" Kensi asked through clenched teeth, her jaw set, eyes wide and wild.

He looked deep in her mismatched, dark eyes, captivated and a little frightened by what he saw there. He swallowed hard, never taking his eyes from hers.

"Javier said there was a shooting this morning. They brought Deeks and a woman there afterwards."

Kensi let him go, backing away from him as if he had shoved her.

"No!" She shook her head adamantly. "There has to be some sort of mistake. Call him back, Fornell!" She shouted, her voice trembling slightly.

EJ came up beside Kensi and put an arm around her shoulders, "Kensi, calm down. I'm sure it's just a misunderstanding," Agent Barrett peered to Fornell, nodding slightly, "Let's go see what is going on, okay?"

Kensi fought the urge to shrug away from the woman's touch, turning to her instead. She nodded once in agreement and let EJ lead her back to the main room in the house.

Once they were out of sight Fornell released the breath he had been holding. He ran his hand over his mostly bald head and then rubbed the back of his neck. Slipping his phone back in his pocket, he took another deep breath and then went to catch up to the women.

The ride to the hospital was a quiet, if not awkward one. Kensi stared at her hands in her lap the whole way. Fornell and Barrett shared worried glances back and forth the closer they got to their destination. If Deeks was dead, their whole op would be suspended indefinitely. Gibbs and his team would more than likely have to stand down and stay out of the public eye until such time it was deemed safe for them to go back to work. More importantly, the detective's death would have to be dealt with - in more ways than one. The investigation, transferring him home - consoling his partner, Agent Blye. Breaking the news to the other team members back in Los Angeles would not be an easy task, either. Fornell knew, had sensed, that Callen and Hanna did not approve of the use of Blye and Deeks on this case. It was not a discussion he was looking forward to.

The taxi pulled up outside the hospital. The three agents climbed out wearily. Fornell leaned in the open window and paid the driver. As the taxi drove away, the three of them turned and made their way inside, looking for directions to the morgue.

After being pointed in the right direction, they walked down the long hallway to the double doors.

Fornell stopped and turned to the two women. "Maybe you two should wai-"

"No!" Both Kensi and EJ proclaimed in unison.

Fornell looked both in the eyes for a moment, then nodded. He pushed the doors open and they stepped through to the other side. The smell in the air in this corridor was not a pleasant one. It still had that medicinal, hospital type smell, but there was an underlying odor that made them all try to breathe a little lighter.

Making the corner at the end of the corridor they came upon a desk. It was empty, but they could hear someone moving around just out of view. As they got closer, a thin, older man in what could be described as a janitor's uniform appeared.

"Are you the ones here to see your friend?"

Fornell immediately recognized Javier's voice. "Javier, yes we are. Where is he?"

Javier pointed down the hall to another set of doors. "Down there. Please, you not tell about me answering the phone?"

"We won't say anything. Where is the phone?" Tobias asked curiously.

Javier nodded over his shoulder, "I gave it back to him."

The agents shared a confused glance at one another. "You gave it back to him?" Tobias looked to the frail man with a concerned expression on his face.

"Si. He left it here on the desk by mistake when they brought Officer Espinoza down."

Kensi had bolted down the hall as soon as Javier had admitted to giving the phone back. She missed the part about it being Officer Espinoza. As Fornell and Barrett turned to catch her they saw that she had stopped outside the doors.

A body lay on the table. It had been a few years since she had seen her, but Kensi knew right away it was Eva. She gasped, both at the fact that it was Eva's body lying there, and that the dark haired man sitting next to the table grieving for her was her partner. He was very much alive.

As they came up behind her they noticed she was watching through a small window looking in at the lab. They shared a quick glance at each other and then joined her at viewing the scene on the other side of the glass.

Kensi spoke over her shoulder, "Give us a minute?"

EJ placed a reassuring hand on Kensi's arm, squeezing gently.

Tobias looked at EJ. "Sure."

Kensi pushed the door open and walked slowly over to her partner. His back was to her but he still somehow knew it was her approaching him.

"I tried, Kens. I tried to keep her safe," he whispered. He sounded defeated.

She was startled when he stood and turned to look at her. The side of his face was still streaked with blood, _Eva's_ blood, she thought. His clothes were stained dark, too. His eyes were red, and Kensi was struck by how distraught he looked. Her partner was shattered.

"Oh, Deeks." She stepped to him and pulled him into a tight hug. She sighed when he wrapped his arms around her and held on. His body shook as he let the sobs he'd been holding in free. "I'm so sorry."

Her own tears fell as she held him, so very relieved that it was not him on that table.

 _ **TBC**_


	12. Chapter 12

**Season of Renewal**

 **Disclaimer: I still own nothing, just borrowing my favorite characters.**

 _ **Author's note: I apologize for the delay in updating. Still very busy. I will try to wrap this story up in just a few more chapters. Thanks to those of you still reading!**_

 **Chapter 12**

EJ and Tobias watched through the window as Kensi consoled her partner. Neither of them knew who this woman was that had been with Deeks, but it wasn't hard to figure out she was someone significant to the detective. After a few minutes it appeared Deeks was getting his emotions under control.

"You think this is going to have any effect on our op?" EJ asked Tobias quietly as she continued to stare at the two partners still embracing in the next room.

Fornell pulled his gaze from the window and looked at EJ, contemplating his answer. It would be later that Fornell would realize just how close his reply would ring true.

"I don't see how it doesn't," he paused before adding, more to himself than Barrett, "but that may not necessarily be a bad thing."

She looked at the grizzled FBI agent a moment, considering what he had said. She nodded slowly, then turned back to the window.

* * *

Eventually Deeks regained his composure. He lessened his grip on Kensi and tried to pull away. She wasn't ready to let him go just yet. She knew it was a bit selfish on her part, but she was enjoying the feel of him in her arms. She was glad she was there to give him comfort, but now that she had time to think about it she wondered just how much Eva had meant to him. Would he be this upset if they were only acquaintances? Clearly now she could see that there had definitely been a connection between the two. A very close bond. Try as she might, she could not fight off the jealousy creeping back into her thoughts.

"Deeks?" She quietly spoke, her voice muffled by his chest. "You okay?" Feeling him trying to move away still, she released her hold on him and he took a small step back.

Deeks looked from her to Eva's body resting on the table next to them. Kensi saw the change in his eyes. The sad, lost look growing into a darker, angry one and then back to sadness. He swallowed hard, fighting his emotions. Shaking his head slowly, he returned his gaze to Kensi.

"No. No...I don't think I am," he whispered, his voice breaking.

Kensi cocked her head to the side, keeping her eyes on her partner's. Not wanting to say anything to damage the already shaky ground they still seemed to be on, she nodded. "I'm here for you. If you want to talk about it, or-"

"She loved me. Eva loved me, Kensi. I know you remember the teasing about us having a connection back when we first met her. We did. I flew down here that first weekend after we closed that case. You guys wanted me to go out, but...but I already had plans. I had a plane to catch."

Deeks paused, waiting for Kensi to say something. She didn't, but looked surprised as she nodded that she did remember.

"I made the trip down to spend time with her as often as I could. I knew deep down it would never last. We both did. The miles between us, the careers, goals we both had. It wasn't fair to Eva. I knew how she felt about me," Deeks smiled gently, thinking for a moment before continuing, "Unlike us," Deeks pointed to Kensi and then himself, "she had no problems communicating."

It was Kensi that finally spoke next, "Did you, um...did you love her back, Deeks?" Knowing it didn't matter one way or the other, especially now with Eva being gone, but she still desperately needed to know.

Deeks smiled and dropped his eyes to the floor. Shaking his head, he met Kensi's anxious stare again. "I cared for her deeply. Was it love? I don't know, maybe." He continued to keep his eyes on Kensi's. "If I'm being honest, Kensi, there was a reason it was not fair to keep a long distance thing going with Eva. Not fair to her, not fair to me. You know what that reason was, right?" Deeks asked, hoping Kensi would know the answer.

Kensi stood there, her eyes locked on her partner's as her mind worked a million miles an hour. Deep in her heart she hoped she knew, but she couldn't put it to words. Deeks had spoken in past tense, which worried her. Her mouth opened to reply, but nothing came out. She blew out a breath, frustrated with herself. Deeks kept waiting, always so patient with her.

Kensi set her shoulders straight and took a deep breath. Looking deep in Deeks' eyes, she was finally able to say what Deeks was trying to get out of her. "Me? I mean...um, us?" Her brow raised, hoping she got it right.

For the first time in too long, Deeks' smile, the one that reached his eyes and made them sparkle, the one that always warmed Kensi through and through, appeared on his face. It didn't last long, but it made her hopeful to see it again.

"Yeah. Us. Our _thing_." He cocked his head slightly, a small smile appearing for a brief moment before he became somber again. His blue eyes met her mismatched orbs, staring deeply into them.

She studied him. She sensed a change in him, although she couldn't put her finger on whether it was good or bad just yet. Maybe it was a little of both. Holding in the concern she felt building in her gut, she repeated longingly, "Our thing." Kensi broke eye contact for a few seconds before peering at her partner again. "Um, I know it's a bad time and...and I'm trying really hard to be patient, but-"

Deeks broke in, knowing exactly what Kensi was getting at. "Don't worry, Fern. We still have a thing. It may be a beat up, broken down, bruised kinda thing, but we'll work on that."

A bright smile broke out on her face at his words. He called her Fern. And he just confirmed they would work things out. She took a breath and released it, still smiling. She tipped her head, acknowledging his proclamation. "Okay."

He returned her smile. "Okay."

He turned and looked at Eva one last time. His smile faded as a turbulent look grew in his eyes. When he looked at Kensi again she was shocked at how quickly his demeanor had changed. It frightened her, that look in his eyes. She had seen it before, a long time ago, when he had been tasked with bringing his old alias out of hiding for a case. Before she could react, he had grabbed her hand in his and pulled her towards the door.

"I've got work to do," he called out over his shoulder.

* * *

Deeks arranged a ride for them through Officer Zarazua. When the driver pulled up to the safe house, Deeks made no move to get out after the others.

"Deeks, what are you doing? Aren't you coming in with us?" Kensi asked as she turned to see him still sitting in the car. She was becoming more worried of his actions ever since they left the morgue.

"No. I need to go back to my room at the hotel. I've got to, uh" he stopped himself, choosing his words carefully, "I need to get a few things. I'll...catch up with you guys later."

Before any of the group could protest further, Deeks pulled the door shut and nodded to the driver. They sped off, leaving the three standing there at the curb in disbelief.

"What the hell is he doing?" Fornell demanded to know.

Kensi shook her head as she watched the car get smaller as it continued down the road. "I don't know. He's up to something, though, I can feel it."

"I don't like this." EJ threw her two cents in as well. She and Kensi shared a concerned look.

Fornell pulled out his phone. "I don't either," he added as he swiped at the screen. Holding the phone to his ear, he looked at both women as he listened. No answer. "Dammit, Deeks," he said disgustedly as he shoved the phone back in his pocket.

He looked in the direction the car carrying Deeks had gone. It was completely out of sight. Resigned to the fact that Deeks had abandoned them, they went inside and waited to hear from the detective. None of them wanted to say it, but they all had the feeling the man seemed to be on a mission all his own now.

* * *

Abby was glad to be home. It had been a long day and she was ready to relax. When her cell phone rang, she hesitated to answer when the caller ID failed to state who it was. Looking at the screen for a few moments longer, she sighed and answered it.

"This is Abby."

"Hey, Abby."

Her face lit up when she realized who it was on the other end. "Marty! How are you? You are okay, right?" She asked anxiously, wondering why the detective would be calling her.

"I've been better," he replied honestly.

"What's wrong? Do you need help?" Abby asked worriedly, hearing the anguish in his voice.

Deeks explained to her about meeting up with Eva when he got to Mexico, who she had been to him, the ordeal he had gone through with her earlier in the day. He told her about Tobias, Kensi and EJ finding him at the morgue a short time ago. That he had left them at a safe house while he retrieved some things from his hotel. Her heart ached for him at the loss of his friend.

"Marty, I am so sorry to hear about your friend Eva. I just want to hug you and make you feel better!" Abby exclaimed sympathetically.

"Thanks Abby. I appreciate it." Deeks took a breath, collecting his thoughts for a moment. "Abby, Eva and I had talked about the reason I was in Mexico. Being a cop, she has...um, had a lot of connections and a good working knowledge of the cartels down here. When I told her about-"

Abby interrupted him, "Shouldn't you be discussing this with Gibbs? Why are you telling me all this case related stuff, Marty? I mean, I know I'll be privy to it because it does relate to the whole team, but shouldn't you be going through Gibbs?"

Deeks chuckled on the other end of the call. "You make a good point, Abs. But in this case, no pun intended, I'm asking you because this rumor, if that's what it is, is directly related to you."

"Me? Okay, um...now you're just freaking me out Marty." Abby glanced around her home, checking the windows and looking at the shadows in doorways for anything or anyone hiding, waiting to reach out and grab her.

Sensing the worry in her tone, Deeks continued, "You're safe, Abby. There's a long standing rumor within some of the more _questionable_ people here that a federal lab technician from Washington DC had proven that a sniper had taken out a drug dealer, Pedro Hernandez, many years ago. That the report that contained the proof had disappeared. That the sniper was one Leroy Jethro Gibbs."

"Of course!" Abby shouted as she realized where the current threat was coming from. "That's what this is about, isn't it? Somebody is looking to avenge Paloma and Alejondro, aren't they Marty?"

"Paloma and Alejondro? Who are they?" Deeks responded to Abby's outburst.

"Pedro Hernandez's children! Paloma was the head of the Reynosa Cartel and her brother was in the Mexican Department of Justice. Oh Marty, you really need to talk to Gibbs!"

"Okay, Abs. Thanks for the talk. I'll uh, I'll be in touch."

"But what about Kensi and-" Deeks had cut her off, ending the call. "No, no, no, Marty!" She shouted at the phone. Scared now that Deeks would take off and not regroup with Fornell, Kensi and EJ, she quickly dialed Gibbs' phone.

"Gibbs, Gibbs, Gibbs! Marty is on to something in Mexico! It's about Paloma and that rat, Alejondro-"

"Abby, calm down," Gibbs admonished her.

"This is huge, Gibbs, but I'll try," she replied, trying to contain her anxiety.

Gibbs smirked, picturing the ball of energy that was Abby Sciuto. "Now what did he say, Abs?" Gibbs inquired.

 _ **TBC**_


	13. Chapter 13

**Season of Renewal**

 **Disclaimer: I still own nothing having to do with NCIS or NCIS: Los Angeles, I'm just borrowing my favorite characters.**

 **Chapter 13**

"I had the Do Not Disturb sign on the door. What are you doing in here?" Deeks demanded to know of the housekeeper he found in his room, the cart sitting outside his door giving her away. Officer Zarazua's associate had just dropped him off after they left the others back at the safe house.

The young woman looked terrified. "I...I am sorry. Please, it is my first day. I made a mistake," she replied in a shaky voice.

Deciding she was telling the truth after a quick glance around his room, he tried to calm her fears. "No, no, it's fine. It's okay, uh-" He paused, looking at her name tag, "Henriqua? We all make mistakes." He grinned at the woman, who smiled back at him in relief.

"Gracias, Mr. Deeks," she said as she moved quickly to her cart outside in the hallway. Nodding to the detective, she moved the cart and disappeared.

He let the door swing shut, not giving the woman another thought. He couldn't stop thinking about something Eva had told him after meeting up with her on that first day. She wanted to know why he was there. He had explained his part of the mission. He was more than a little surprised when she said she may have some information that would help him. He needed to talk to Abby to find out if what Eva told him had any truth behind it. Pulling his phone out, he punched in her number by memory.

He smiled when she answered. "Hey, Abby."

* * *

Deeks sat at the foot of his bed deep in thought. Abby, without even trying, had just given him a huge lead. If what she said were true, he really did need to talk to Gibbs. Any information he could glean from the agent would help in his quest to find everyone responsible for threatening Gibbs. He wondered if Agent Fornell had any knowledge of this Paloma and her brother. He would have to call him, too. Or maybe he could just answer the next time the agent called him. He'd lost count of the attempts the man had tried to reach him.

At the moment all he wanted to do was just sit and reflect. There were people counting on him to keep them safe. There were people here to help him do just that. Fornell, Barrett, and his partner Kensi, all sitting in a house not far from his hotel waiting and worrying about him. On one hand he wanted to pack up his stuff and join them at the safe house. On the other he wanted to strike out on his own, feeding them enough intel to keep them close on his heels in case he got in too deep and needed their help out.

Taking a deep breath, Deeks let himself fall back on the bed. Eva filled his thoughts. He still couldn't believe she was gone. In another time...another place, he could have had a future with her. Knowing himself as he did, had he not already been struggling with his feelings for his partner when they met, it would have been so easy to fall completely for Eva. Always one to follow his instincts, though, he agreed to end it with the beautiful sheriff from Mexico for a chance of a life with his partner. It was a mutual decision between them not to pursue it further, sure, but he knew how Eva felt about him. She never verbalized it, but her actions spoke volumes. He knew that as long as he lived, no matter how things turned out with Kensi, Eva's dying attempt to say those three words would haunt him.

His heart was raging a war within itself. Ridden with guilt over Eva's dying confession of love, to the renewed desire to put things back on track with Kensi, tore at his soul. Slamming both hands down to the mattress, he let out a heart-wrenching cry, ignoring the pain sent searing through his temple. He was healing more each day, but his body still reminded him of the trauma he suffered through just weeks before.

As he brought his emotions in check, he blew out a breath and jumped up off the bed, a sudden realization hitting him. He had checked in under his alias, Stew Gilmer. The housekeeper had called him 'Mr. Deeks'. He knew of only one person that referred to him in that way. Her name was Henrietta. The housekeeper's name? Henriqua. Coincidence? He thought not. A smirk grew on his face when he realized Hetty had found him and had eyes on him, too. He scanned the room again, thinking. Deciding to dive back into the operation immediately, he grabbed his phone and called DC again. Losing himself in his work was the only way he saw to rid himself of the hurt. Knowing his little ninja of a boss was still looking out for him gave him another level of confidence. Gibbs picked up on the first ring.

"Marty," Gibbs greeted confidently, as if he were expecting a call from him.

Taken aback that Gibbs knew it was him, Deeks replied, "Gibbs. How uh, how did you know-"

"Abby." Gibbs cut him off.

"Abby. Of course," Deeks almost whispered. "So, I'm assuming she told you what Ev...what my contact told me about Hernandez."

* * *

Fornell stood in the living room of the safe house. His attention was divided between the two antsy female agents and the view out the window. His worry had long turned to anger with the detective who left them. He had tried at least half a dozen times to reach Deeks by phone. Every call was ignored. Turning from the window once again, he was met by two pairs of intense eyes staring him down.

Before either one of them could say anything, Fornell reached for his phone one more time. "Right. I'll call Dee-" He was interrupted by his phone going off in his hand, the vibration startling him. After regaining his grip on the cell, he swiped the screen.

"It's about time, Deeks. What the hell kind of stunt-" Tobias paused, "Hernandez? Yeah, yeah, Gibbs had mentioned-"

Another pause by Fornell left the women wondering what Deeks kept interrupting the agent for. They shared a concerned glance before focusing on Tobias once more.

"The Reynosa Cartel? Paloma and Alejondro," Fornell shot a worried glance at Kensi and EJ, "it makes sense, Marty. Okay, we'll find it." There was another long moment of silence. "I will. We'll be there as soon as I can get the car. See you then."

He ended the call and pocketed his phone, looking away from the two people in the room with him, choosing instead the view out the window. He took a deep breath, waiting for the onslaught of questions he knew would be coming any moment now.

"What did Deeks say?" Both women asked in unison. Any other time he would have found it comical. Not now, though. He turned to face them both again.

"He spoke with Abby and Gibbs. Apparently this Eva shared some information with Marty. He questioned Abby, who in turn unknowingly gave him a major lead. He confirmed it with Gibbs," Fornell relayed what he had been told by Deeks.

"So now we move?" EJ asked, analyzing what little they had to go off of.

"Deeks told me where he is staying. He said for us to call Officer Zarazua. He has a car for us. We need to get it and then go get him." Fornell stopped, cocking his head to the side as he thought about something else Deeks said.

"What is it, Tobias?" Kensi picked up on the agent's look immediately.

He shook his head. "Nothing. It's probably nothing. We should get the car quickly."

EJ and Kensi glanced at each other as Fornell headed for his room. When he came out with his bag over his shoulder, they both looked surprised.

"Are, are we _leaving_ leaving?" Kensi asked suspiciously.

Fornell glanced from Kensi to EJ. EJ nodded ever so slightly, knowing from the earlier conversation at the morgue that Tobias had a feeling the current state of Deeks' mindset could change things for them. Fornell looked back to Kensi, seeing the worry and confusion in her eyes. He smiled, but it was forced. "Just in case."

Kensi studied the FBI agent's face but couldn't get a read on what he was _not_ saying. She gave him her own fake smile back, nodding. "Okay. Just in case is...is good. Probably for the best." She turned and disappeared to the room she had been set to share with EJ.

EJ looked at Fornell, a questioning look on her face. Tobias nodded his head once, and without turning towards it, glanced to the front door before meeting her gaze again.

"We need to go. _Soon_." He spoke softly so only Agent Barrett would hear him, his brow raised, as if asking if she understood.

Her eyes widened when it dawned on her what he was trying to say. "Right," she nodded as she moved to retrieve her bag, as well.

It was over an hour later that Fornell pulled up outside the hotel. Officer Zarazua had provided them an unmarked four door Jeep that had been Officer Espinoza's patrol vehicle. Stopping in a spot near the entrance, he put it in park but made no move to exit. He glanced in the rearview and caught Kensi looking back at him.

"Why don't you go in and get him, Kensi?" It was more a demand than a request by the FBI agent.

"Wha...um, okay?" Kensi replied, somewhat thrown off by the tone in Fornell's suggestion. She reached for the door handle, pausing for a moment. "Can't you just call or text him we're here?"

"Room 117." Tobias replied, ignoring her question.

She opened the door and climbed out, slamming the door shut, not sure what was going on. She didn't have a good feeling about this at all. She strode through the front entrance of the hotel. Asking which direction 117 was in, she marched down the hallway, her senses on full alert.

Back outside, Fornell kept his eyes focused intently down the street. After a minute or so of silence he commented, "Deeks isn't going to be in there," calmly, almost to himself.

"What? How do you know that?" EJ asked, shock evident in her tone.

"He told me to pull up out here facing this way. He said to send Kensi in by herself and for us to keep an eye out."

EJ stared at the FBI agent sitting next to her as he kept his eyes trained out the front of the Jeep. "I don't under-"

"There! See him?" Fornell cut her off, still not taking his eyes away from his view down the street.

EJ jerked her head in the direction Tobias was looking. Sure enough, Deeks stood about three fourths of a block down from their current location. He was facing their way but his attention was on the person standing in front of him. They were having a discussion about something.

"Kensi needs to hurry her ass up and get back out here. Are we supposed to follow him?" EJ demanded to know.

As Fornell and Barrett were having their conversation about Deeks, Kensi was stalking down the hallway Deeks' room was in. As she approached the door to 117, she found it weird that there was a Do Not Disturb sign hanging on the handle. The small sign brought back memories of that first night Deeks was released from the hospital in DC. She remembered the hurt look on Deeks' face as he stood in the middle of her hotel room and questioned her about her actions that led to him being in DC in the first place. She remembered that he had forgiven her. Lost in her thoughts, she didn't hear the woman walk up behind her.

"Mr. Deeks has checked out, Ms. Blye," the small woman spoke.

Kensi spun around, ready for a fight. Pissed that she had let someone sneak up on her like that, she glared at the young housekeeper. "Who are you? How do you know my name?"

"Henriqua. I am sorry I startled you. You need to rejoin your friends quickly. Everything will be fine, Ms. Blye." With a quick nod and a smile, the housekeeper continued on her way down the hall.

Kensi watched her disappear around a corner at the end of the hall. Something seemed so familiar about the woman. As Kensi turned to head back outside, a smile broke out on her face as it clicked. "Hetty," she said to herself as she exited the hotel.

 _ **TBC**_


	14. Chapter 14

**Season of Renewal**

 **Disclaimer: I still own nothing, just borrowing my favorite characters.**

 **Chapter 14**

Deeks kept his eye on his mark but still managed to notice the familiar Jeep pull up in front of the hotel just down the street from him. He saw Kensi stomp inside and couldn't help but chuckle. Even from this vantage point he could see the attitude in her stride. He hoped Hetty's contact masquerading as a housekeeper would survive the encounter with his badass partner. Deeks was glad he was able to relocate Henriqua and ask her to approach his partner when she arrived. He also hoped Kensi would be quick to realize the woman was there to report back to Hetty on the goings on of her two absent team members, unlike he had been. He had no doubt Henriqua would continue to shadow them for the rest of the operation. Deeks didn't know if the powers that be in DC knew Henrietta Lange had immersed herself in the middle of Tobias and Deeks' little mission or not, but it was reassuring to know there would be additional back-up if things went south.

Dialing in his focus to the man now standing in front of him while acting disinterested, he settled in to the role of Stew Gilmer. He noticed the other guy look him up and down suspiciously.

"Are you Stew?" The stranger inquired.

Deeks remained aloof. "Depends on who's asking," he replied, continuing to scan the surrounding crowd, always returning a watchful eye to the Jeep.

The man's face broke into a huge smile. "P says when you get back up north he has just the place to take you for the friendly ladies."

Stew smirked, "He does, does he? Good to know. We got a bit sidetracked the last time."

"I'm Jose. Yes, P mentioned you got rid of a little problem. He was impressed. Please, follow me. We will go see my boss. He is interested in your... _services_."

Stew nodded, glancing down the street one more time, relieved to see Kensi climbing back in the Jeep. He moved to keep pace with Jose, satisfied Tobias had eyes on him by the quick flash of the headlights just before he turned away.

Kensi had barely pulled the door shut when Tobias threw the Jeep in gear. "Don't lose him, EJ," he ordered as he checked traffic, pulling quickly away from the hotel at the first break in the line of cars.

"I got him," she called out, holding on tight as the FBI agent launched the Jeep out of the lot.

"Don't lose who?" Kensi demanded as she, too held on to steady herself as the Jeep lurched out into the street.

"Deeks!" Both Tobias and EJ replied simultaneously.

EJ turned in her seat to face Kensi in the back. "He's with someone in that red Toyota about a block and a half up," she cocked her head towards the front.

As she settled back in her seat to keep a watch on the red car, none of them noticed the car pulling out behind them from the hotel lot they just vacated. All three were too focused on not losing sight of the car Deeks was now riding in.

* * *

Hetty sat back in her chair at her desk in the Mission. She took a breath, then reached for her cup of tea. A smile threatened to appear on her face as she thought about the quick message she had just received from Loreto, Mexico. Calling in a favor from one of her many contacts, it hadn't taken long for Hetty to hit pay dirt. Her associate had wasted little time in finding her favorite liaison. Still unaware that Eva had been killed earlier in the day, Hetty was relieved that she at least knew where one of her currently reassigned team members were with certainty.

Up in Ops, Nell and Eric had just finished up their part on a case that Sam and Callen had just closed. Callen had just called to let them know they were on their way back from the boatshed. A gasp from the analyst got Eric's attention. He turned to her, worried at the look on her face as she stared at her phone.

"Nell? Is everything okay?"

She turned to him, eyes wide and a sorrowful, yet shocked look on her face. "Eva is dead!"

Eric's eyes went wide, as well. "What? Is...is Deeks okay?"

Nell shook her head. "He's not hurt. Well, not physically, anyway. Kensi said he and Eva were caught up in a shootout this morning. When they got to Loreto, they found him at the morgue with her."

"We better inform Hetty." Eric suggests. Nell nods in agreement as Eric picks up the phone to dial down to Hetty's desk. Nell begins digging for more information on the shooting that took the life of the woman they had all been impressed with when they encountered her those years ago.

Downstairs, Hetty's phone rings. Seeing that it is a call from upstairs, she answers quickly. "What can I do for you, Mr. Beale?"

"Hetty, um...you should come up here. We have, uh, we have some news about Deeks."

"Of course. I'll be right up." She returned the handset to its cradle, sighing as she wondered what those two had found that had Eric sounding so worried.

Hetty stood from her chair, readying herself for whatever news she was about to hear. No sooner than she did, Sam and Callen returned from the boatshed. Seeing them go for their desks, she called out to them.

"Mr. Callen? Mr. Hanna? Why don't you gentlemen join me in Ops. It seems as if we have some news about our Mr. Deeks." She turned without another word and made her way up the stairs.

Sam and Callen glanced at each other, not liking the tone with which their operations manager had spoken. Both of them sighed as they headed up the stairs themselves.

Eric and Nell both looked surprised when not just Hetty, but Sam and Callen also walked through the door. They shared a worried glance, not sure if they should say anything about Deeks with the two senior members present. Knowing the look on their faces, Hetty dashed that concern straight away.

"Ms. Jones, Mr. Beale, please tell us what you have regarding Mr. Deeks," Hetty nodded towards them as the three settled in to listen.

Eric just stood there, not really sure how to begin. He caught Nell peering at him out of the corner of his eye. He took a deep breath, readying to speak, when Nell beat him to it.

"Kensi sent me a text. She is in Loreto with Agents Fornell and Barrett. They arrived a little while ago. They were unable to make contact with Deeks, who was supposed to be waiting to hear from them as soon as they landed. They found him in the morgue." She saw the reactions in her boss and the two agents as they absorbed what she had just said, and realized she could have worded that announcement a little better. "No. Uh, no! I'm sorry - I... Let me finish. Deeks is alive, it's Eva! Eva was killed this morning. Deeks had accompanied her body to the morgue and had been there all day."

"Lead with that next time!" Sam snapped, concern for his shaggy friend evident in his tone.

"What the hell happened?" Callen demanded to know.

Nell tapped at her tablet, turning to the big screen, where an official report appeared. "As far as I can tell - and mind you, I just found this moments ago - it was a drug deal gone bad. Deeks and Eva just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. The report says that Officer Espinoza was off duty and had been having breakfast with an unknown male subject, Deeks, when the shooting occurred down the street. She heard the commotion and went to investigate. She was hit by a stray bullet right in front of the restaurant she and Deeks were at. According to responding officers, Eva died at the scene almost immediately."

Sam glanced at Callen and then Hetty. He shook his head slowly. "He's not going to deal with that very well."

Hetty breathed a heavy sigh. "I'm afraid you're right, Mr. Hanna," she agreed, clasping her hands in front of her.

Nell's phone pinged and she glanced at it quickly.

"Kensi will take care of him, keep him in line," Callen stated, although he sounded as if he didn't really believe it himself.

"Yeah, about that," Nell responded skeptically, "Kens just texted me again." She was studying her phone, reading the text Deeks' partner had just sent. "Guys, Deeks has gone off on his own. He has made contact with someone. She says they are following a car they believe Deeks is a passenger in. Kens is worried that Deeks is acting irrationally due to-"

"Losing a close friend," Sam finished for her. "He's probably blaming himself, wondering what he could have done to stop it from happening, and-"

"He's angry, and now he's focusing that anger on the mission to help ease the pain he's dealing with in his heart." Callen broke in. Sam nodded in agreement.

"So what do we do?" Sam questioned everyone in the room.

Not wanting to let the others know that she had the matter well in hand, but knowing the team would be relentless in their desire to help their friend, Hetty addressed the question. "We do nothing. Understood?" She pointed a finger at the two senior agents. "Mr. Deeks is capable of looking after himself, and he has Ms. Blye and the others to back him up."

Callen looked at Sam, his brow raised. Sam looked disgusted, but nodded in acknowledgment of the warning from Hetty.

The operations manager bid her goodbye to the team and exited Ops. She needed to make a call and she needed to do it in private, away from wondering eyes and curious ears.

* * *

Deeks led Fornell and the two women on a wild goose chase that lasted nearly three weeks. After several close calls and many meetings, Fornell launched his part of the operation to get inside the workings of those behind the threat. Deeks had given them enough breadcrumbs and sent cryptic texts to give Fornell another contact. Now he could start to work his way in from another angle.

It was with that information that Kensi and EJ found themselves sitting in the Jeep they had borrowed from Officer Zarazua back when they first arrived in Loreto. Fornell was down the street, inside an old dump of a house meeting with someone named Aldeberto. They were keeping an eye out from a safe distance. Tobias had been in there for over an hour and the female agents were getting restless. As the sun dropped lower in the afternoon sky, EJ reached up and pulled the visor down to shade her eyes. Sitting there in the driver's seat, she noticed the corner of something sticking out of a little pocket on the back of the visor. She had won the toss on who would get to drive. Kensi was none too happy about being chauffeured around by someone she was not used to riding with, but she had lost and begrudgingly let EJ drive. When EJ reached up and pulled the object out of its hiding place, her eyes widened at what she had found.

Kensi sat in the passenger seat, a scowl on her face as she kept an eye on the house Fornell was in. The heat was almost unbearable and the stupid Jeep didn't have air conditioning. She wiped her brow, and out of the corner of her eye saw EJ pull something from the visor.

"What did you find?" Kensi asked curiously, having caught EJ's reaction to whatever it was that she now tried to hide from Kensi.

"Nothing, really. Just an old picture. Nothing important." EJ stated guiltily.

"Nothing, huh? You sure aren't acting like it's nothing. Let me see it," Kensi demanded.

"I don't think so, Blye. Forget it. Let's keep our eyes down the street. Focus." EJ tried to change the subject, knowing she was only delaying the inevitable.

"No way. _You_ keep an eye down the street. Give me the picture!" Kensi leaned towards the other agent, swiping at the photo. She was quick, but EJ was able to block the attempt. "Let me see the damn picture, Barrett. It can't possibly be anything impor-"

Knowing that Blye would not quit in her quest to view the picture, EJ relented and held it out so that it was facing Kensi. She waited with bated breath on the reaction of the jealous agent.

Kensi stopped mid-sentence when she realized who was in the picture. Her eyes widened much like EJ's had when she saw it. She reached out slowly and took the worn photo from Agent Barrett's hand. She grasped the picture gently, just barely touching the edges to keep from ruining the image with her sweaty fingers. She studied the photo closely, in awe - and at the same time, heartbroken. Not for herself, surprisingly enough, but for both people in the picture. It was Eva and Deeks. Someone had caught the two of them in an intimate moment they had shared. They were standing on a beach. Both were in swim suits; Deeks in his normal trunks and Eva in a very revealing bikini. She had been a knockout, Kensi had to admit. They were embracing each other, but were looking towards the camera. Deeks had his arms around Eva's waist, while she had her left arm around him with her right hand resting lovingly on his chest as she leaned into him. The look of happiness on both their faces took Kensi's breath away.

EJ stared at Kensi as she looked at the photo, not sure what to make of the woman's reaction. She definitely was not expecting the look of sadness she saw on Kensi's face. She expected, anger, jealousy, yelling...anything but the quiet that now enveloped them both.

Before either could say anything else, Tobias jerked a rear door open and startled the pair as he climbed in and slammed it.

When they got over the initial surprise of Tobias' arrival, EJ asked him how it went. Kensi hurriedly tucked the photo in her shirt pocket and waited for his reply.

"It was going rather well," he replied slowly.

"I don't like your tone. Something is up. What is it?" Kensi asked with a concerned voice.

"I got us a meeting with the person wanting Gibbs' team taken out." He started to explain.

"Well that's a good thing, right?" EJ responded.

"You'd think, yeah. But we have a slight problem." Tobias paused as he looked from EJ to Kensi.

"What's the problem?" Kensi demanded.

"He wants my shooter, _you_ , to take out somebody they think is leaking information. Tying up loose ends, they said, " he continued.

"Okay, so I take out some scumbag to get us in and then we, along with Deeks, can close in and wrap it up."

"It's not that easy, Kensi. They think the leak is Stew Gilmer."

EJ gasped. Kensi looked confused for a split second, and then it hit her who they wanted her to kill.

"They want me to shoot Deeks?"

 _ **TBC**_

 ** _Author's note: Thanks to MJ2709, RhondaLara, honus47, Hoosier65, fanficforyou, and CoastalReader for the reviews/PM's. Special thanks to honus47 for the prompt about EJ and Kensi finding a picture in Eva's Jeep._**


	15. Chapter 15

**Season of Renewal**

 **Disclaimer: I own nothing, just borrowing my favorite characters.**

 **Chapter 15**

"You can't be serious?" EJ questioned, her voice full of sarcasm.

Fornell shot her a warning glance. He returned his focus to Kensi, who looked like she may be sick at any moment. She had a far off look in her eyes and her face had turned a ghostly white.

"Kensi?" He prodded her. "Agent Blye!" He said more forcefully. Still no reaction from her as she sat frozen in place. It was clear to him that his words had triggered a bad memory in the agent. If he had to guess, it was her stint in Afghanistan. He recalled reading something in her file about that mission but he couldn't remember the details at the moment.

Kensi sat still as a statue, her mind spinning with memories of a man she thought she'd never see again - and yet there he was after all these years - right in her site. Granger in her ear coaxing her, ordering, demanding that she take the shot. She redirects her aim, missing on purpose. Another man comes to her, this one more recent; more words in her ear to shoot, her mind racing, looking for any other option than the one that would end his life. She can't breathe as Deeks suddenly appears in her head. He's tied to a chair, head leaning to one side, blood seemingly everywhere. She then sees herself punching him after he himself wouldn't take a shot. She shakes her head, trying to clear the visions from her mind. It is only then she realizes Fornell and Barrett are still in the vehicle with her. They are calling her name and looking at her with concern in their eyes.

"What, uh... I'm sorry, what did you say?" Kensi choked out.

"Is everything alright, Kensi?" Tobias asked gently, compassion in his tone.

"Oh! Um, yeah...everything is, is fine." She stated with little conviction. Taking a breath, she met Fornell's worried gaze. "So, they want Deeks...I mean, uh...Stew...they want him dead? That can't be good. What the hell did Deeks do to get them to want him gone?" Kensi inquired, trying her best to sound professional.

EJ shifted her gaze to Fornell, wondering if he picked up on the sudden change in Agent Blye's voice. The brunette was putting up a good front, but she wasn't fooling Barrett or Fornell for an instant. Something had thrown her off and they needed to make sure Kensi had her head in the game. At the moment she clearly didn't.

Tobias saw the questioning look EJ was giving him, and without replying directly to her, answered the question he knew she was asking silently. "Let's get back to the safe house, shall we? Marty should be there waiting for us as we speak. We can formulate a plan then and make sure we're _all_ on the same page. He can fill us in on the how and the why they want him dead then."

This pleased Kensi and immediately helped curb her worries. She was missing her partner. Even though they had been tailing his every move over the last few weeks, they had no visual contact with him. The calls and texts he sent were the only reassurance that he was, at the very least, safe.

A short drive later found the three agents climbing out of the Jeep back at the safe house. Kensi made a beeline for the front door, leaving Tobias and EJ behind. Tobias chuckled as he watched the brunette try to contain her anxiousness to get inside and see her partner. He took a step to follow Kensi when he felt EJ reach out and grab his arm.

"Let's give them a few minutes. Maybe we can do a walk around the property, make sure everything is still secure here around the perimeter," Agent Barrett suggested, a grin on her face.

Tobias nodded and smiled, "I just hope we don't find them in a compromising position when we do go inside."

EJ laughed as she made her way to the edge of the yard, Fornell following along.

Back inside, Kensi stood just inside the front door, staring at the man currently sleeping on the couch. The noise she made entering the house hadn't woken Deeks up, so she was caught off guard when she finally took another step towards him and the floor creaked. Deeks had his gun pulled and pointed at her so fast she was afraid she wouldn't be able to make him realize who she was before he pulled the trigger.

"Deeks! It's just me!" She choked out quickly as she held her hands up to show him she was unarmed.

"Kensi?" He asked groggily, shaking his head and blinking his eyes to clear them. He let his arm drop immediately.

"Yes. Are, are you okay?" She asked, concern growing as she took in his haggard appearance. Still not used to the darker hair on him, she was quick to realize how sunken his eyes looked. He hadn't been sleeping well, if at all, from the looks of it.

He stood slowly and stretched, his back making several audible pops as he did. Kensi noticed how much better his range of motion seemed to be. The last time she was with him he was still struggling with the sore ribs and head injury. Her eyes scanned his tall frame. He had lost some weight. The scar at his temple had completely healed, no longer hidden by bandages. Her eyes met his. They stood like that for a moment, just gazing into each others eyes, reading the emotions each had bottled up.

She glanced back to the door, watching for the other two agents. Realizing they had decided to give the two partners a few moments to themselves, she turned back to the man standing across the room from her, thankful for the time alone with him.

"Deeks," she all but whispered, taking a step towards him.

He moved towards her slowly, his eyes never wavering from hers. Seeing her in front of him now, he couldn't contain his feelings any longer. He had missed her terribly. In just a few short steps they were standing face to face, still looking deeply into each others eyes.

Kensi wanted so badly to wrap her arms around him, but she wasn't sure how he would react. Deeks blew out a small breath, his head tilting to one side slightly, then back again.

"I've missed you, Kens," he whispered softly as his arms pulled her close. "I've missed you so much."

Kensi gasped at his words, her eyes suddenly tearing up at the sound of his voice, the conviction his tone held, the use of her nickname that she loved. It was too much, the tears started falling as she finally did wrap her arms around her partner. He tightened his grip on her as she let her head rest on his shoulder. They stood there like that, just embracing each other.

"God, Deeks, I've missed you, too. More than you can possibly imagine." Kensi was able to reply once she got her emotions under control.

He pulled back and looked down at her, smiling. His own eyes were misting as well. He leaned down and brought their lips together in a slow, sweet kiss. They both were carried away by the moment. Neither heard the door open.

Tobias looked back at EJ as he stepped in the house, a grin on his face as he nodded to the two partners standing in the middle of the room. She returned his grin, shaking her head when she saw the intimate moment being shared between the two.

"I sure hate to break this little love fest up, but if you crazy kids don't mind, we have work to do."

Kensi and Deeks jumped apart when they heard the FBI agent's voice. He chuckled at their reaction, a huge grin plastered on his face. They both were embarrassed but relieved when they saw that he was just playing with them and not at all upset at their momentary lapse of duty.

"Sorry," Kensi offered quickly, while still sticking close to her partner's side.

"What's up, Tobias?" Deeks nodded at the FBI agent, then glanced at Agent Barrett. "EJ," he acknowledged her.

"Hey Deeks," she replied with a wave and a smirk.

"What's up, detective, is that Stew Gilmer has a target on his back now. Our contacts want Kensi here to prove her worth by taking you out. They think you're leaking information," Fornell reported, all humor gone from his face.

Kensi listened intently to what Tobias had to say, then turned to Deeks to hear his side of it.

"Good to know. That means I've done my job." Deeks claimed confidently.

"Good? How can that be good, Deeks?" Kensi glared at her partner, not understanding how he could be so calm, and almost...proud? Proud that he had made himself a target.

He didn't reply right away, he just stood there with a smirk on his face as he met her stare head on. "Come on, Princess. How many times have you said you wanted to shoot me yourself? Here's your chance to really do it." He grinned at her as if it was the funniest thing on earth.

She shook her head adamantly, "No, Deeks! Don't even joke about that. It's not funny. Maybe at one time it was, but..." her voice trailed off at the end almost to a whisper. Her face was growing pale again and the far off look returned in her eyes. "I...I can't do it. I won't, Deeks. Please, please don't make me do it," she pleaded with him.

Realizing what the thought of having to take a shot at him must be doing to her - with what she went through in Afghanistan with Jack, and then again back in LA, he immediately stopped joking about it. His face grew apologetic, then concerned as he noticed how upset she had become.

She looked at him with fear in her eyes. "A bad guy, I'd do it without question. But, but not you, Deeks. I can't, not even for show."

"Hey. Whoa, whoa, whoa there Kens. It's okay. It'll be okay," he said soothingly as he moved to face her directly. He cupped her face gently in his hands, wiping the tears from her cheeks with his thumbs. Deeks peered at the other two in the room with them, pursing his lips as he thought. He looked again to Kensi.

"Alright, so maybe that wasn't the greatest idea, yeah? So Plan B it is."

Kensi sighed. Then, to everyone's surprise, a smirk curled her lips. "Plan B? I feel like we've had this same discussion before, Deeks. Okay, so what is Plan B?" Kensi asked, sounding more like her confident self.

Deeks chuckled. "Well," he shrugged as he glanced to the other two agents quickly before focusing on his partner's questioning gaze once more, "I'm working on it."

Kensi cocked her head, rolling her eyes, "Of course," she scoffed.

Fornell turned to EJ, one brow raised. She just smiled and turned back to the two partners. The way those two interacted with each other was rather fun to watch. It reminded her of the banter she used to share with Agent DiNozzo, and she realized how much she missed that. No matter what happened, once this mission was over she was absolutely certain that these two would work out their differences. They belonged together, anyone could see that. She decided right then that she would do whatever she could to make sure they had that chance.

 _ **Author's note: Thanks to db1205, honus47, anonkp, RhondaLara, fanficforyou, MJ2709, and Hoosier65 for the reviews. This chapter will be the last for a while. My heart just isn't in it. I've also been too busy to post on a regular basis. I'm putting it on hiatus for now. When inspiration hits I'll either add more chapters or end it with an epilogue to tie up the loose ends. Contrary to all the negative guest reviews complaining about the hiatus, Renewal will not go unfinished. Thank you.  
**_


	16. Chapter 16

**Season of Renewal**

 **Disclaimer: I still do not own NCIS or NCIS: Los Angeles, just borrowing my favorite characters.**

 _ **Author's note: Again, thanks to anyone still reading this. I've got one more chapter in the works, along with an epilogue. I'm not promising they'll post any time soon, but they will - and I hope you'll enjoy them.**_

 **Chapter 16**

After the meeting at the safe house, where the team decided that having Kensi shoot Deeks was taking it too far, even if it would have just been for show, they adjusted the plan. Fornell would stay in contact with their mark via text and phone. Deeks would do the same from his end. It would be a few days before they could pull the takedown together. Deeks wondered when this was all over with just how pissed Kensi, and the rest of them for that matter, were going to be with him when they realized Plan B was actually Plan A all along. He hated keeping them in the dark, Kensi especially. Fornell would understand. He'd still be pissed, but he'd understand. He felt Agent Barrett would get over it quickly, too. Even though Eva was no longer with them, she had played a huge part in how this mission would play out. In an odd twist of fate, her death quite literally opened the door for Deeks. He just had to be patient a little longer.

They all settled in for some much needed rest. It didn't take long before Deeks had fallen asleep again. The other three in the room all watched the detective for several moments. They all were concerned for his wellbeing. He was sitting up on the couch; head tilted forward and to the side, one arm resting on the arm of the sofa, his other hand had fallen to his side.

His position was a little disconcerting to Kensi. It wasn't a chair, and he certainly wasn't tied down and bleeding, but the position too closely resembled how she had found him in that body shop. A chill crept through her as she fought to block those images - that whole period of their lives - out of her mind.

EJ was getting fidgety. "I'm going to go out and get some supplies," she stated quietly as she moved towards the door.

"Wait up, I'll come with you," Tobias offered as he stood from the chair he had been reclining in.

Kensi watched them, saying nothing.

"You staying here, Kensi?" EJ asked genuinely, even though she knew the answer already.

Kensi stole a quick glance towards her partner and then back to the woman waiting at the door. "Yeah, um, go ahead. I'll just uh...I'll keep an eye on Deeks," she stammered softly.

EJ and Tobias both smiled at her. "We'll be back soon," Tobias promised as they pulled the door shut behind them.

Kensi sighed and leaned back in the chair she occupied across from Deeks' sleeping form. She wanted to wake him up, or at the very least move him so he didn't look so much like...like _then_. Closing her eyes didn't help. She repositioned herself in the chair. She felt the picture she had stuck in her pocket earlier catch on a corner and snag. Not wanting to damage the photo, she pulled it gently from her pocket. Glad to see that it hadn't torn, she continued to stare at the picture, wondering if Deeks had a copy of it himself somewhere. Lost in thought over the image ingrained on the fragile paper in her hand, she didn't hear Deeks stir and wake across from her.

Deeks leaned his head back slowly, barely opening his eyes. His neck was killing him from the awkward angle he had fallen asleep in, and the pain finally pulled him from the depths of a dreamless slumber. Once he felt aware of his surroundings, he opened his eyes fully, glancing around the room. It appeared that he had been out for quite a bit based on the low light still filtering in through the windows. The house was quiet, and with the exception of his partner sitting across the room from him, he assumed that they were the only two there. Fornell and Barrett must have gone somewhere, or maybe they were just outside. Deeks focused on Kensi, watching her study something in her hands. It looked like a photograph - of what, he didn't know.

"Whatcha got, Fern? Looks pretty serious judging by the look on your face there, partner."

Kensi jumped at the sound of Deeks voice. "Geez, Deeks, you scared the hell out of me! I thought you were asleep."

"I was. You should have made me move, Kens. My neck is killing me," he chided as he rubbed the back of his neck.

She just looked at him for a moment, stunned, before shaking her head in disbelief. She had forgotten about the picture when Deeks startled her. He glanced at the object as she held on to it, her hand now resting on her thigh as she looked at her partner. Kensi caught his gaze and jerked the picture back towards her chest. She had already decided what to do with it, but being caught on the spot put her on the defensive.

"You uh, you wanna tell me what you're looking at?" Deeks asked curiously, his eyes moving from hers to the photo and back to her eyes.

"It's nothing," she said nonchalantly.

Deeks knew her voice better than she thought he did - and he knew she was lying. It was definitely _not_ nothing.

"Seriously, Kens? You wanna play it that way? Fine. I don't need to see it. It's probably a picture of me you've had stashed away for safe keeping or someth-"

"Deeks, stop! Just, just stop, okay?" She pleaded. His words were not very far from the truth, although it wasn't she that had had it stashed away.

Deeks just looked at his partner, trying to get a read on her expression. It was one of sadness, of surrender. She squeezed her lips tightly and cocked her head to the side and back in thought. She blew out a breath and then stood, holding the photo out to him. He stood, too, reaching for it.

"You were right, Deeks. But it wasn't me that had it hidden away," Kensi said apologetically. "EJ found it in the sun visor of Eva's Jeep we've been driving. I thought, um...I thought you should have it. You know, in case you don't have a copy already." She felt a bit guilty for the last sentence. It wasn't necessary, and yet she couldn't stop herself from digging, wanting to know if Deeks kept the same photo with him for old times' sake.

He took it gently, still watching Kensi, not sure what to say. He looked down at the photo. When he saw that it was himself and Eva, he looked away quickly. He remembered very well when and where it had been taken. He didn't know she had made a copy to keep with her. Again, the guilt he felt threatened to overtake him. He fought it resolutely. Gaining his composure, he met Kensi's worried look. "Wow. Um...I'm uh, I'm sorry." He blew out a nervous breath and ran his hand through his hair. He struggled to keep his eyes on Kensi's.

"Sorry? Why uh, what exactly are you sorry for, Deeks?"

He studied her face, realizing that she was not upset. Not in the way he expected her to be; jealous, angry. Her expression conveyed nothing like that at all. He knew the words she had offered the photo to him with meant that she wanted, needed to know whether or not he had his own copy to remind him of another time in his life when he was happy.

"I'm not sure? Sorry you had to see that I guess."

"You have nothing to be sorry for, Deeks. She meant a lot to you, and clearly you meant a lot to her, too."

"Okay, but," he paused for a moment, thinking on how to continue. "Why did you want me to have it, exactly?"

She didn't answer him, just looked into his eyes before shrugging.

"Just for the record, I don't have that picture. And I don't want it." He dropped it on the coffee table between the chair and couch. "But thank you for giving me that choice."

Kensi looked at him, surprised at his reaction to the photo. "But why?"

Deeks shrugged this time as he pursed his lips in thought. He scratched at his hair nervously, "I don't need it. It was a long time ago and all those memories are up here," he pointed at his head. "I don't need a picture of her. Besides, I have something better," he stated softly as he gazed at her.

She was confused now, thinking he meant something of Eva's. "Better, Deeks? What, um...what is it?" She was almost afraid to hear his answer, but what he said next blew her away.

"It's you," he said sincerely. "It's always been you, Kens."

* * *

An hour later Tobias and EJ stood staring at the tangle of limbs and torsos on the couch.

"I suppose we should be thankful they still have their clothes on," Fornell pointed out.

EJ chuckled. "We really should stop leaving them alone together, don't you think?"

Hearing voices, Kensi was the first to stir. When she realized what had happened, she jerked awake quickly. Working to untangle herself from her partner, she was finally able to stand. Deeks slowly awoke at the sudden movement from Kensi. He sat up quickly when he realized why Kensi had jumped away from him.

"Reminds me of the time I caught McGee on his couch with my ex-wife." Tobias replied sarcastically.

EJ shot a curious glance towards him, waiting for more of that story. When he said nothing else, she commented, "Let me guess, they were just sleeping, right?"

He turned to her and smirked, nodding slightly. "So they kept insisting."

Kensi felt the need to defend herself. "We _were_ just sleeping!"

"Uh huh, yeah. It's your story, Agent Blye. Tell it any way you like." EJ teased with a gleeful look in her eyes.

"Clearly they don't know the rules, do they?" Tobias continued with the harassment.

"Definitely not. Gibbs would be disappointed. Rule 12 has obviously been broken," EJ played along.

"Crushed, more like it." Fornell added.

Kensi glanced from the two jokers to her partner and back again. Deeks looked just as confused as she felt. She remembered the talk back in Gibbs' basement. He had said something about a rule. What was it? It had something to do with her and Deeks. "Rule 12?" She squeaked out, waiting for clarification.

"Never date a co-worker," EJ stated, a smirk growing on her face.

Tobias was grinning like an idiot, obviously enjoying taunting the two from LA. He looked to EJ then, deciding to cut the confused partners some slack. "I think Gibbs would agree that rule number five takes precedence in the case of these two lovebirds, don't you?"

Rule five! Kensi remembered Gibbs telling her Deeks would trust her again because of rule number five. "What is, um...what is rule number five?"

EJ and Fornell exchanged glances, but before either could answer her, Deeks finally broke his silence.

"You don't waste good."

He said it softly, almost like it was a revelation that just came over him. He must have had a talk with Gibbs, too, Kensi thought. She felt the blush growing on her face, a warmth filling her heart as she now understood what Gibbs had been trying to tell her back in his basement.

* * *

Gibbs strolled into the lab, calling out as he did, "You got something, Abs?"

Abby spun around when she heard his voice. "Hey Gibbs! What makes you think I have something for you?" Abby questioned her boss with a perplexed look on her face. So far as she knew they had no active case.

Gibbs studied her expression, his own baffled look becoming more evident.

"You called me down here. If you don't have anything for me, what do ya need, Abs?"

"Now we're getting somewhere, Gibbs. I was hoping you had something for me."

He chuckled then, cocking his head to the side. "No, I don't think I do. Do I?" He asked, obviously at a loss as to why his forensic scientist was looking at him the way she was.

Abby had a serious look on her face, crossing her arms as she stared the man down. "Gibbs! Have you heard anything new from Marty? What about EJ, or Kensi? Fornell?" She asked exasperatedly, her brow raised in concern.

A warm smile grew on his face. "Nothing new, Abs. I'm sure we'd have heard something, good or bad, if there were something for them to share."

Abby grimaced, furrowing her brow. "You're not lying to me, are you Gibbs?" She studied the man's eyes. His look was one of amusement. "Of course you're not." She answered her own question apologetically as her gaze softened. "It's been three weeks since Marty called me. I'm just getting worried. Surely we should have heard something by now, Gibbs. I mean, are we safe? Do I need to lock myself down here in my lab?"

Another chuckle and head shake from Gibbs at Abby's questions. "You're safe, Abs. I'll call Tobias and get an update."

"Awe, thanks, Gibbs," she smiled innocently.

"I'll let you know what I find out," he promised, then gave her a peck on the cheek before turning and leaving.

Abby watched him go, her face lit up with excitement with the knowledge that Gibbs was a man of his word. He would call his friend Tobias and get a full report on where they stood. She looked forward to finding out if the threat towards all of them was closer to being neutralized.

* * *

In Richmond, Virginia, down a dark, cluttered alley, a large man knelt on his knees. Behind him, a thin man dressed in black stood motionless. It was a cold, snowy night and the wind howled between the buildings. No one could hear the conversation as it played out.

"Come on, man! I swear I didn't know Stew wasn't for real. He shot a fucking cop right in front of me!" Big P pleaded his case as the man he had only heard of loomed over him. P shuddered when the icy cold barrel of the man's pistol was slid along his cheek and placed at the back of his skull. He felt more than heard the safety being released. "Dude, please. You gotta believe me!"

In a thick, raspy voice, the mysterious figure bent down to speak into P's ear. "Whether I believe you or not is irrelevant. I know what I saw." He stood again, patiently waiting.

Big P began shaking, not so much from the cold seeping into his knees through his pants, or the wind whipping tendrils of snow around him, but from the fear of death. He gulped a big breath of air and decided to beg for his life one more time. "You don't have to do this, man! I'll never te-"

A strong blast of wind whistled down the alley just then, catching the lid of a trash dumpster and flinging it open. The lid smashed into the tin siding of the building it was parked against. The resulting noise was a perfect cover, and just the right moment for the patient man holding the gun to complete his task. Big P never felt the large caliber bullet enter his brain, much less exit the front of his skull in a gory explosion of blood, brain matter and other bits of flesh and bone. Within minutes, the snow came down harder and didn't stop until late the next day. It would be weeks later, after an early thaw, that P's frozen, lifeless body would be found. Javier couldn't have planned it better if he tried.

Deciding to take matters into his own hands, after eliminating Big P he set out for Washington, DC. Javier couldn't believe his dumb luck when he actually stumbled onto the man P had sent to Mexico a few weeks prior. The fact that he was escorting Officer Espinoza's body to the morgue had sent up a red flag the second Stew introduced himself. The phone that Stew Gilmer, or whoever the hell that man was, had left unattended at the morgue had yielded a plethora of information. He laughed as he drove north out of Richmond. Stew and his band of cohorts, including the definitely _un_ dead Agent Barrett, wouldn't know what hit them. While his men schemed and toyed with them, he would take out Gibbs and his beloved team one at a time. It seemed only fitting to start with the woman who had proven Leroy Jethro Gibbs had killed Pedro Hernandez. After all, he had vowed many, many years ago to avenge his brother's death. To be able to get revenge for his dead niece, Paloma, and his imprisoned nephew, Alejondro, was just icing on the cake.

 _ **TBC**_


	17. Chapter 17

**Season of Renewal**

 **Disclaimer: I own nothing, just borrowing my favorite characters.**

 **Chapter 17**

Gibbs went straight to Director Vance's office from Abby's lab. McGee, DiNozzo, and Bishop all watched their boss as he passed by them without a word and headed for the stairs. Per his typical entrance, he didn't bother knocking once he approached the director's door. Vance looked up from a file he had been reviewing, a smirk on his face when he saw who it was invading his office.

"Gibbs," Leon nodded, "please, do come in."

Gibbs nodded back, a confident grin spreading at the director's sarcastic invitation to join him. He sat in the chair on the opposite side of the director's desk.

"Something on your mind, Gibbs?" Leon asked after a few moments of silence.

"Marty's plan is coming together. This ends soon."

"The others still don't know?"

Gibbs chuckled and shook his head. "He's good."

"He's better than good, Gibbs. Henrietta Lange recruited him for a reason. You know damn good and well he's out of LAPD's league. They just abused him and he became stronger for it. I sure as hell can't figure out why he can't see that for himself."

"I think abuse has been the one constant in his life, unfortunately. To a degree, even Hetty's team abused him, Leon."

"That may be true, Gibbs, but I also think those days are behind them. All three of his teammates are fiercely loyal when it comes to Detective Deeks. We need to impress upon him that it is time he became an agent."

Gibbs nodded in agreement. "I've got a call to make. I'll keep you posted." Gibbs stood and moved towards the door.

"You do that, Gibbs." Vance watched as Gibbs pulled the door shut behind him. As he thought about the mission playing out in Mexico - and soon here in DC, he decided to make a call to Henrietta Lange. He knew she had someone shadowing her liaison and junior agent. He wondered if Henrietta was aware that Detective Deeks had talked her insider into shadowing Javier instead. As Deeks continued to toy with Javier's men in Mexico, Henriqua, if that really was her name, had been tailing Javier across the United States. They now knew Javier was in DC. It was only a matter of time before he would decide to strike.

He picked up his phone and dialed. "Henrietta, how are you?"

"Hello, Leon. I've been waiting for your call. You've spoken with Jethro I assume?"

All he could do was smile at her reply.

* * *

Jethro headed to MTAC for some privacy. As promised, he pulled out his phone and called his buddy Tobias. They chatted for a bit. Fornell explained to him that a change in plans had taken place and that they were just waiting for the right opportunity to move. As Fornell explained, Gibbs smirked, knowing for sure that Deeks did indeed have them all fooled.

They hadn't switched plans at all. At first, Gibbs wasn't sure Marty's suggestion of having Kensi shoot him to prove her worth as Tobias' shooter would work. It turned out the detective's plan was successful. Deeks played his contacts like a fiddle and they fell for it. He had made himself a threat to them. In turn, they offered Stew Gilmer up to Fornell as a way to get rid of him. The whole thing had been a ruse to get Javier to make a move. It had been a huge risk, but it played out just as the detective said it would. When Agent Blye resisted, Deeks made a show of coming up with a "Plan B" that was more agreeable. It was a good thing they all were on board, too, because Deeks had already set it in motion weeks before, when Eva was killed.

Gibbs didn't believe in coincidences, but he didn't know what else to call the fact that Marty's friend Eva had known of Pedro Hernandez's brother, Javier. Hell, Gibbs himself hadn't even known Hernandez had a brother. Divine intervention, maybe?

When Marty had discussed with Officer Espinoza why he was there, she had put two and two together immediately. She filled the detective in on the old rumor about Gibbs. Eva had known Javier worked as a janitor at the morgue. Abby added a couple of pieces to the puzzle when she told Deeks about Paloma and Alejondro, but it was Eva's knowledge that had been a goldmine.

Even though she had been shot in an unrelated incident, Deeks had the foresight to use her death to his advantage. Getting Officer Zarazua's blessing in escorting Eva's body to the morgue had been easy. Nor was it hard for him to sell being distraught over the loss of his friend when they arrived at the morgue - because it wasn't an act. Once Deeks spotted Javier, though, it was game on. He made a point of introducing himself to the janitor. The old man was good, but Deeks had caught the split second of recognition in the man's eyes when he mentioned that he was Stew Gilmer. Knowing now that Javier was indeed aware of him, it was a quick decision to "forget" his phone on the desk, using his grief as a distraction for doing so. Who knows how long it would have taken to get a face to face meeting with the man behind the threat on Gibbs? They could have spent countless weeks, maybe even months, going through the motions to earn the trust of the outer circle tasked with protecting Javier. Deeks was playing with fire using this direct approach, but the surprise would all be on Javier. The old man had no idea _Stew_ knew who he was, so he didn't feel compelled to reveal his identity to him. From there it had become a bit of a chess match. Somehow the detective was able to persuade Hetty's contact to shadow Javier. After assuring the operative that he and the others were capable of taking care of themselves, she had agreed. As soon as Javier left Loreto and headed northeast, the game had begun.

Gibbs listened to the rest of Fornell's explanation with a humored look on his face. When he finally hung up with his old friend, Gibbs chuckled. He wished he could be there to see Fornell's reaction at having been buffaloed by the LAPD detective. He left MTAC. It was time to contact Deeks.

As Gibbs approached the lab he shook his head when he heard Abby's awful music blaring. As he entered the lab he couldn't help but smile when he spied his animated forensic scientist playing the air drums along to the frenetic beat as she swayed to and fro, pig-tails flying.

"Abs!"

She kept moving, not having heard her boss calling her name.

"Abs!" Gibbs shouted over the cacophony.

Still not responding to him, he stepped right up behind Abby and tapped her on the shoulder. This elicited a shriek from the pig-tailed woman, who immediately spun around to see who had crept up behind her, eyes wide with fright.

"Gibbs!" She shouted at the man standing there with a smirk on his face. She pulled a remote from her lab coat and silenced the stereo. "Oh my gosh, Gibbs! Why would you sneak up behind me like that? Are you trying to give me a heart attack?"

Jethro stuck a finger in his ear and wiggled it. "What was that, Abs?" He asked with a straight face.

Abby squinted her eyes, a grimace on her face as she crossed her arms in front of her. "Very funny, mister!"

Gibbs smiled, nodding his head in agreement. He held his hands up. "Hey, I did try to get your attention when I first got here."

"Fine. I'll give you a pass this time," Abby conceded. "Why are you back? Did you talk to Fornell?"

"Yeah, I did."

"And?"

"You still have Marty's burn number, Abs?"

"Um, yes. Is Marty okay? Did something happen to-?"

Gibbs shushed her with a finger to her lips. "Marty is fine. Everything will be just fine, Abs. I need you to send him one of those message...things." Gibbs motioned with his free hand. "Tell him to call when he can talk without the others listening." He let his hand drop from her face.

Abby's expression went from one of concern to amusement as Gibbs explained what he needed her to do. "Text, Gibbs. It's called a _text._ You know, you really should let us teach you-"

"Today, Abs?"

"Okay! I'm texting him, geez," she insisted as she tapped away at her cell phone.

Gibbs nodded and grabbed her remote, hitting the button. Abby's face lit up as Gibbs walked away, her music filling the lab once again as he made a hasty retreat.

* * *

Fornell slid his phone back in his pocket as the others looked on. When he turned to find all eyes on him, he smirked but said nothing.

"That was Gibbs?" Deeks finally broke the silence.

Kensi noted the curious tone in her partner's voice, but let it go.

Tobias nodded. "Yeah. Just checking in." Tobias eyed Deeks, also noticing the odd vibe from the detective.

Deeks nodded back but said nothing more. Again, Kensi was getting a weird feeling. Glancing from Tobias to her partner, she cleared her throat and voiced her concern.

"Everything okay there, Deeks?" She pried, brow raised as she waited for his reply.

Deeks looked at her in surprise. "Yeah, no...uh, everything is fine, Fern. Why do you ask?"

She smiled, not quite believing him, though. "You sure? You seem to be-" she shrugged, "I don't know, on edge maybe?"

He shook his head. "On edge? No, no, I'm good. Really." He insisted as he looked away from her to take a peek at Fornell and EJ as they listened to the two partners.

"Okay, if you say so," Kensi glanced at EJ and Fornell herself.

Deciding not to push him any further, she turned and headed off to the kitchen. EJ followed her. Tobias stood there, continuing to keep his eyes on the detective. Whatever was on the man's mind, he knew it was pointless to try to pry it out of him. He smiled at Deeks and headed off in the direction the women had gone.

Deeks blew out a breath in relief. No sooner than he did that, he felt his cell vibrating in his pocket. Quickly pulling it out, he saw that it was a text from Abby.

 _Call the boss when you can talk-_

Deleting the message, he took a quick look to see whether his friends were still busy in the kitchen or heading back his way. Seeing that the coast was clear, he slipped out the front door quietly.

A few moments later, Kensi walked back into the living room carrying a beer in each hand, a confused look on her face when she didn't see Deeks anywhere. At first she thought maybe he had gone to the restroom, but when she glanced down the hall she saw the door was standing wide open. She knew Deeks would have closed it had he gone in there.

"Deeks?" She called out, listening for a reply. None came. She went to look in the bedrooms. "Deeks, are you in here?" When she got no answer this time, she sat both beers down on the coffee table. "Deeks!"

"What's the matter, Kensi?" EJ asked when she heard the agent holler her partner's name. She came back from the kitchen to find Kensi standing in the middle of the living room with a perplexed look on her face.

Kensi blew out a breath, placing her hands on her hips. She then motioned with her right hand, waving around the room, "Deeks is gone." She ran her hand through her hair, much like her partner would do when he was nervous.

"Are you sure?" EJ received an irritated glare from the brunette in reply to her question. EJ chuckled. "Okay. I'm sure he's around here somewhere. Did you look outside?"

"I hadn't gotten that far yet," Kensi admitted as she moved to the front door.

* * *

Jethro had just sat down at his desk. McGee and DiNozzo were busy lobbing insults at each other while Bishop sat quietly at her desk, listening to the two carrying on. He was about to break it up when his phone rang. He unclipped it from his side and flipped it open. "Gibbs."

"Hey Gibbs. Deeks here."

"Don't you mean Stew?" Gibbs asked, humor lacing his tone.

Deeks chuckled on the other end of the line. He could imagine the smirk on the older man's face. Ignoring Gibbs' question, he replied with one of his own, "He's there, isn't he?"

Gibbs chuckled this time, nodding his head even though the detective couldn't see him. "Yep."

Blowing out a breath, Deeks glanced back to the house to see if anyone had come looking for him yet. Not seeing anyone, he continued. "How long do we have?"

Gibbs shrugged. "A day, maybe two. Looks like he's focusing on Abs. Your boss' friend will let us know for sure. As soon as he makes his move we're taking him down."

"Alright. I'll have the troops ready on my end."

"Abby will let you know when to go."

"Thanks, Gibbs. Be safe." Deeks ended the call.

It was time to come clean with the others. Not looking forward to that conversation, he thought that it wouldn't hurt to wait until morning. He didn't want everyone pissed at him this evening. As he walked towards the house, Kensi came rushing through the front door.

"Deeks! What are you doing?" Kensi demanded when she saw him, her eyes full of suspicion.

Deeks gave her his full on grin, chuckling as he continued towards her. "Just needed some fresh air, Kens."

He held her gaze until he was abreast of her, pausing a second before moving on and going back in the house. Kensi turned and watched him go. Sighing, she went after him, knowing he had something on his mind. She was determined to find out what.

* * *

Gibbs sat on his couch. He was leaning forward, elbows on his knees as he stared at his phone he had placed in front of him on the coffee table. It was dark. The only light was the soft, amber glow from the street light out in front of his home. He was wide awake and dressed for the day. Having sensed something was about to happen, he had decided to get up. It was 3:45am. Just seconds from leaning back and letting his eyes drift shut once again, his cell phone began ringing. Picking it up, he flipped it open quickly and brought it to his ear.

"Gibbs." As he listened to the caller, he moved from the couch to the coat rack by his front door. "Where are you now?" He hollered, annoyed at the information he was being given. "How long ago was that?" He slid his jacket on, switching the phone from one hand to the other as he did. "Hey, Henriqua! Pull yourself together!" Now cradling his cell to his ear with his shoulder, he pulled his weapon, slid a new magazine in and chambered the first round before holstering it. "Never say you're sorry. Is Abby safe?" Pulling his keys from his jacket pocket, he left his house, swinging the door closed behind him as he ran to his car. "Do not take your eyes off her place! I'm on my way!"

Gibbs fired the engine and slammed the Charger in gear. He launched the car from its spot, the Hemi under the hood screaming angrily as the rear tires fought for traction.

* * *

Abby's eyes flew open. She held her breath. Something had caused her to jerk awake out of a dead sleep. She didn't dare move for fear of making a sound. The longer she held her breath, the more it was becoming evident to her how badly she needed to pee. Still not moving a muscle, she slowly released the breath she had been holding. As she began to relax, the sound of a door creaking sent chills down her spine. Seconds later she heard someone in the hall outside her room. The footsteps crept closer, barely audible, but to Abby they sounded thunderous. Just outside her room now, they paused. Her bedroom floor squeaked as someone took a step closer. They were in her room now. Sucking in a deep breath as quietly as she could, she squeezed her eyes shut and silently waited for whatever was to come.

 _ **TBC**_


	18. Chapter 18

**Season of Renewal**

 **Disclaimer: I own nothing, just borrowing my favorite characters.**

 **Chapter 18**

Over the last several days Javier had the feeling he was being watched. He was never able to put eyes on anyone in particular, though. He started to think maybe he was just paranoid. He was not as young as he once was. Add the fact he was in a strange place, with no friends - no one to turn to if this went badly. He assured himself it was just that fact alone that left him feeling exposed. He would have to make sure to thank Stew Gilmer for leaving his phone unattended. _If the man lived long enough for him to return to Loreto,_ he thought. Imagine his surprise to find a couple of familiar names, Gibbs and Abby Sciuto, along with others stored inside. It took Javier no time at all to have one of his men copy the info before returning the phone to the grieving man in the morgue.

After waiting for a time to see if he could detect someone watching him, he decided it was safe. It was the middle of the night. Not many cars were out at this hour. Pulling out of the parking lot of the cheap hotel, he headed off to an all night diner. A hot coffee sounded like just the thing before visiting Abby Sciuto. He had been watching the interesting looking woman for a couple days now and knew she would be getting up early to get ready for work. He wanted to make sure to be there in time to surprise her this morning.

Henriqua was exhausted. Never before had she ever had to work this hard. She was very good at what she did, but everyone had their limit. She had let the LAPD detective that worked for an old friend, Henrietta Lange, persuade her into following his suspect. Mr. Deeks was very convincing, charming her right into going along with his plan. When she had first met him, he had caught her by surprise, finding her in his room. It wasn't very much later that evening when the detective confronted her again, letting her know he knew she was working for his boss, Hetty. The man was very perceptive. She could see why he was a detective. The speed with which he had concocted his plan to draw Javier out made her head spin. It didn't take her long to figure out why Henrietta had him on her team. Even though he was in mourning over the loss of a close friend, he had used that as an opportunity to set a plan in motion. She thought he was crazy and being very careless.

Over the next few weeks she trailed Javier and met with Deeks whenever she could so he could brief her on his progress. The detective was frazzled, clearly not getting much sleep, and she was afraid it was only a matter of time that he would slip up and get himself killed. Color her impressed when his plan actually had the desired effect. Javier, the old man Deeks had suspected of being behind the threat on Agent Gibbs, had packed an SUV and headed north. She followed, all the way to Washington DC. She would not underestimate Detective Deeks again.

Now she sat in her car, pissed that she had let herself take a few minutes to rest her tired eyes. She had fallen asleep, her body would not be denied the rest it needed oh so badly. A passing truck with a loud exhaust startled her awake. When she realized Javier's SUV was gone, she completely panicked. Running surveillance for days had taken its toll on her. Unfortunately for her, the unplanned nap could not have come at a worse time. While she slept, Javier had left his hotel room and driven away.

Henriqua dialed Special Agent Gibbs' phone as she headed for Abby's place. Not knowing where Javier was at the moment, this made the most sense to her still clouded mind. Gibbs had yelled at her, which helped bring her around. He was on his way to Abby's and would meet her there. Focused now on getting to Abby's as quickly as she could, she was hopeful that they would arrive there in time.

* * *

Abby couldn't hold her breath much longer, and if she didn't get to use the restroom soon, her coffin/bed would be doubling as a toilet. The footsteps had stopped. As she contemplated opening her eyes, she slowly released the breath she had been holding through her nose as quietly as she was able.

"You awake, Abs?" A voice whispered in the darkness.

Abby's heart felt like it stopped. Did she just hear someone ask her if she was awake? Listening intently to make sure she wasn't hearing things, she finally opened her eyes. Still afraid to move, she looked around as best she could.

"Abby?"

Okay, she definitely heard that, and this was a different voice from the first one. It was a voice that had whispered her name in a much more intimate way in this very coffin...

"McGee? What the hell-"

"Shhh!" Two voices hushed her in unison.

"Gibbs?" She asked quietly, wondering what was going on. She sat up and saw the shadows of Gibbs and McGee standing just inside her room.

"Yeah, Abs, it's me," Gibbs replied.

"I have to pee, Gibbs. Like right now. I'm not even kidding."

"Okay. Go! But don't turn on any lights and you come right back here. You got that?"

"But-"

"Just go, Abs! McGee?"

"Yeah boss, right behind you," Tim responded with a low voice.

"You make sure she gets there and back," Gibbs ordered in a hushed tone.

"On it," he whispered his reply.

Abby removed herself from her coffin and headed down the hall to her bathroom, following right on McGee's heels. She desperately wanted to know what was going on, but her bladder was about to deceive her. McGee cleared her bathroom one more time then stepped aside to let her enter. She started to close the bathroom door when McGee assured her he would protect her.

"I'll just wait right here, Abby."

"Thanks, Timmy. Remember that one night-"

"Yes! Yes, I remember. I'll never forget it. Now will you just hurry up?" McGee cut her off, desperately not wanting to have this conversation, especially with Gibbs within earshot.

She smirked at him before closing the door. She did her business and then walked with Tim back to her room.

"What is going on, Gibbs? And don't lie to me again!" She demanded of her boss.

Gibbs went on to explain the whole operation. He started with the discovery Marty had made once he arrived in Mexico, and the fact that somewhere out there right at this moment a man was waiting to approach Abby and do her harm. It seemed as if he planned to start with her and work his way through getting rid of Gibbs' whole team.

Abby was beside herself with fright. She was also very angry that they had kept her in the dark.

"Didn't want you to worry, Abs," Gibbs explained to her nonchalantly, "If you had known someone was watching you, you would have been worried. If Javier thought you were acting suspicious, he would have backed off." Gibbs continued.

Abby understood, but she didn't like it. "So Paloma and Alejondro had nothing to do with this?" Abby asked, surprised.

Gibbs shook his head. "Marty doesn't think so. Not directly, anyway. Javier could have it in his mind that he is avenging them, too."

Abby looked stunned. "If Javier is here, where are Marty and the others?"

"They're still in Mexico. We'll take down Javier here and you'll let him know when that happens. He's expecting your call, Abs. They'll take down Javier's men then." Gibbs smiled, hoping his words made his tattooed scientist feel more at ease.

"Oh! Okay." She twirled a pig-tail in her fingers, happy that she was going to be able to assist in some way. "I can-"

Gibbs held up a finger to stop her as he cocked his head. Tony was talking over comms in his ear. "You and Henriqua stay put. Let me know what he is doing. We have Abs. Let's end this."

McGee moved closer to Abby as he waited for Gibbs to decide how they would handle the situation. Abby wasn't in the waiting mood.

"So what are we doing, Gibbs?"

Jethro chuckled, cocking his head as he replied, "We're giving him what he came for."

* * *

Kensi was pissed. Deeks was being his stubborn, annoying self and it was driving her crazy. Ever since she had followed him back inside, she had tried to get him to open up and tell her - them, what was on his mind. Tobias and EJ grilled him as well, but the man was not going to give up anything. He had promised he would fill them in on what was really going on in the morning. That really set all three of them off. Deeks continually ignored their questions and veiled threats of bodily harm. Finally, he announced he was tired and going to sleep. He sprawled on the couch, and despite Kensi and the other two still hurling insults and questions at him, promptly fell asleep.

Kensi stood next to Deeks' sleeping form on the couch. "Deeks, we're not done here. I mean it!" She glanced at the other two before glaring at her partner again. "Deeks!" Kensi used her foot to push against the couch cushion, shaking him profusely.

Deeks opened his eyes slightly, fluffed his pillow, rolled so he was facing the back of the couch, and murmured over his shoulder, "Good night, Fern."

EJ couldn't help but laugh. Tobias tried, but he couldn't keep the grin from spreading on his face, either.

"Has he always been this suicidal, Kensi?" Agent Barrett teased her extremely annoyed fellow agent.

Refusing to answer the question, she threw her hands up in defeat. "I'm going to bed. See you both in the morning." She nodded good night to Tobias and EJ, then stalked off to the room she shared with EJ. She had hoped Deeks would spend the night with her, but clearly the man was delusional she thought as she flopped down on the bed in a huff.

EJ watched the brunette agent disappear into the bedroom before turning to Tobias. "She loves him," she said with a smirk, nodding to the sleeping detective.

"That may be true, but he's definitely not being straight with us. Something is going on. I think Deeks and Gibbs both have been hiding something from us. I can feel it. She did, too, and he all but admitted it earlier." Fornell stated.

"Well, you heard him Tobias - he'll tell us in the morning. Good night." She turned and headed off to the bedroom.

Fornell grunted, staring down at Deeks, who had just begun to snore slightly. After a few moments, Fornell spun to go to his own room. "You're just like Gibbs, both stubborn sons of bitches," he mumbled under his breath as he did.

The next morning, as promised, Deeks had them gather in the living room. Glancing around the room, taking in their concerned, anxious looks - he took a deep breath and started talking.

"I haven't exactly been truthful with you," he began.

"Yeah, we get that, Deeks. What the hell is going on?" Kensi spat. She was in a foul mood this morning, not having been able to sleep. She spent much of the night tossing and turning, worried about what Deeks had to tell them.

The corners of Deeks mouth curled up at his partner's outburst. "Hold on there, Princess. I'm just getting started, alright?" He raised an eyebrow as he met her fiery glare. She held her hands up, nodding for him to continue.

Deeks started off by explaining to both Fornell and Barrett who Eva was, and how they - meaning the LA team - had come to know her, before getting into the details of their current situation. "The first night I arrived here, Eva picked me up at the airport." Deeks paused, noticing the way Kensi's body tensed at the mention of Eva having been the one to greet him. He then continued, "We had a long talk...about many things." He looked at Kensi for a moment, and then the other two. "She and her fellow officers insisted on celebrating my birthday with me." Deeks chuckled, cocking his head to the side. "She still remembered. It was a week late, but when I admitted with everything going on, the day had come and gone this year just like any other day, she wouldn't let it go."

Kensi gasped at this revelation. Her perturbed look faded to an apologetic one and she dropped her eyes, the guilt she felt over forgetting his birthday again filling her. This time was not her fault, as they were otherwise preoccupied with the job at hand, but it still bothered her. She blew a frustrated breath out slowly, raising her head again to listen to Deeks.

"When I told Eva what I was here for, she told me about a rumor she had heard about Gibbs. She also revealed to me that the man Gibbs shot had a brother, and that the brother actually lived and worked here in Loreto. I have...um, _we all_ have already met him face to face." He let that sink in for a moment. He was about to speak again when Tobias beat him to it.

"What the hell are you saying, Deeks?" Tobias was becoming more riled up with each passing second. "Who is it? Why have we been screwing around for so long? What are we waiting for? Let's do something!"

"About that," Deeks paused, pursing his lips, "I uh...we have. We have been doing something." Deeks again glanced at each of the three people sitting there listening intently to what he was telling them. He sighed, dropping his head. Taking a deep breath, he looked up, "Eva..." he swallowed hard, "when Eva died, I took advantage of that. I used her death as an opportunity. I was angry about losing a friend, and maybe I should have stepped back from the situation, but I just couldn't. It was a huge risk, but one I was willing to take at the time. Once I verified this person knew who I - knew who _Stew_ was - it all just sort of fell into place, you know?" He looked at all three, trying to read their thoughts. When no one spoke, he kept going. "On the ride to the morgue with Eva, I came up with this crazy idea that if this guy was really who Eva told me he was, I was going to set him up if I got the chance." Realizing he was rambling, he got to the point. "When you guys got here that day, who answered my phone?"

Tobia's eyes widened as it dawned on him where Deeks was going with this. "Javier? The janitor-"

Deeks nodded, "Is Pedro Hernandez's brother. Yes."

EJ just sat there, shaking her head in disbelief as she tried to digest what she had just heard.

Fornell was just as stunned. "What... How, uh...how did you know he knew who you were?" He stumbled through his question, still trying to put it all together in his own head.

Deeks reared his head back and chuckled. "Well, that was easy. Once I saw him, I just introduced myself. When I told him I was Stew Gilmer, I saw the look of recognition in his eyes. He didn't say anything, but he knew."

"Are you crazy?" Kensi stood as she shouted at him. "What were you thinking, Deeks?"

Deeks shuffled from one foot to the other, running a hand through his hair. He eventually dropped his focus from Kensi to a spot on the floor. He shrugged slightly, shaking his head slowly as he struggled to come up with an answer to that. He raised his head, looking like he was about to speak, but couldn't. He opened his mouth, then closed it again.

EJ asked the obvious question, "How did he wind up with your phone?"

He looked away from them for a moment. They all could tell he was struggling with his emotions. When he had them under control, he met their impatient stares once again. "I um, Eva was...uh, Eva was dead, and I was... Even though I had a game plan together in my head for if Javier was really there, I was still pretty torn up about Eva. I had my phone in my hand. Between speaking with Javier and helping them move Eva down the hall, I left my phone on the desk, acting like I forgot about it due to...uh, with being upset. It was perfect. I saw him eyeing the phone as I walked away."

Kensi shook her head in wonder. This man, despite his grief, still had enough wits about him to use that as motivation. She wasn't happy with the risk he took, but who was she to complain, really? He had gotten results, she hoped.

"How did you know he would answer the phone?" Kensi asked, her tone of voice more understanding now.

"I didn't. Not until he told me my friends had been calling. I just thought he would take it and look for contact information. I was surprised when he gave it back."

He went on to explain about recruiting Henriqua, the maid from his hotel, who was really working for Hetty. Kensi nodded and smiled at that detail. She had picked up on that, too, but had never told Fornell or Barrett. He also admitted that Gibbs had known from the very beginning what was going on and that he had kept the three of them in the dark to help sell the ruse to Javier and his people. The less they knew, the more natural it would seem. The three agents all stayed silent, still a disbelieving look on all their faces.

"So where the hell is Javier now?" Fornell demanded to know.

Deeks' thousand watt grin broke out on his face and his eyes lit up. Kensi had to contain herself. She loved it when he smiled like this and she just wanted to wrap him up in her arms and kiss him. She couldn't help but smile herself as she waited for him to answer.

"He's in DC," he replied like it was no big deal.

"DC? How do you know that?" Fornell's tone was becoming more irritated.

"Remember Henriqua? She has been tailing him and keeping Gibbs abreast of his whereabouts. After Gibbs called you last night? You three went to the kitchen. Abby sent a text telling me to call Gibbs when I could."

"That's why you were outside last night!" Kensi pointed at him, a smirk on her face. Deeks nodded, a slight grin appearing.

"Guilty as charged, Fern. I called Gibbs. He says Javier is there. Seems as if he has a fascination with Abby. Gibbs thinks he's going to make his move any time now."

"That son of a bitch! You wait until we get back to Washington. I'm gonna kick his ass!" Tobias grumbled loudly.

"Gibbs will have already done that by the time we get back, Tobias," Deeks pointed out.

"I'm not talking about Javier, Marty, I'm talking about Jethro!" Fornell exclaimed. "How dare he lie to me? He's supposed to be my friend."

This brought about a good bit of laughing from Deeks and the girls. Fornell just scowled at them.

"So what are we still doing here, exactly?" EJ inquired with a puzzled look.

"Yeah, Deeks. What the hell?" Kensi added, sounding confused as well.

"Gibbs will take down Javier, and they'll call us when that happens. Then we will take down his men. Javier went to DC by himself. I had hoped he'd show his hand, and he did. I, _we_ , just had to keep his men occupied here and make them suspicious of me. I was pretty sure Javier would wonder why I was escorting a Mexican police officer to the morgue. And I assumed that since he knew who I was, there would be a good chance my contact back in Virginia had mentioned how I'd shot a federal agent. That was how this all started. When Javier saw you," he nodded at EJ, "I also assumed he'd recognize you from the news reports of your death. He had to have checked out the story, or I never would have gotten the offer to come down here. That would be all it would take to make him doubt who I was and why I was here."

"So that is why they offered you up?" Fornell was catching up quickly now. "But how did you know they wouldn't just kill us all if they knew who we were? That was some pretty ballsy assuming, Deeks."

"Because they _don't_ know who we are. And they don't know how many of us are here. They're playing us, at least they think they are. They have no idea that Javier is walking right into a trap. Their little game is about to blow up right in their faces."

Almost as if on cue, Deeks' phone began ringing. He pulled it from his pocket and looked at the screen. A smile appeared on his face as he looked from his phone to his team.

 _ **TBC**_


	19. Chapter 19

**Season of Renewal**

 **Disclaimer: I own nothing, just borrowing my favorite characters.**

 **Chapter 19**

Abby stood there looking at Gibbs worriedly. Even in the darkness of her room she could see the mischievous smirk on his face. "Give him what he came for, Gibbs? I, um...I don't understand," she twirled her pig-tail again, this time due to nervousness. "You're um, you're giving him me?" She asked in disbelief, her eyes wide.

"Yeah, Abs." Gibbs smiled at her reassuringly.

"Boss?" McGee looked to Gibbs, then to Abby. He was clearly out of the loop on this as well.

Gibbs glanced at McGee, his smile never wavering. He cocked his head over his shoulder, never taking his eyes off either of the two worried, confused figures in front of him. "Bishop!" Gibbs called down Abby's hall.

Another shadow joined them in Abby's bedroom. "I'm right here, Gibbs." Bishop replied.

It took a few moments for it to set in, but McGee and Abby realized Ellie Bishop was dressed just like Abby. She was sporting a dark wig under the sleep bonnet on her head and a nightgown much like Abby was wearing herself at this moment. Gibbs, McGee and Abby all stared at the faux brunette agent, smiling at her.

Bishop reached up and touched the bonnet and then glanced down at herself before looking at them again. "What?"

* * *

Javier parked down the street from the apartment that housed Gibbs' forensic scientist. He killed the lights and sat there patiently, watching for any signs of being followed. He took a sip of his fresh brewed convenience store coffee. Not seeing anything suspicious, he exited his vehicle and strolled slowly towards Abby's building. Focused intently on the apartment that housed his target, he never saw the man sitting in the dark colored Dodge Charger parked at the curb as he passed by it.

"Boss, he's on the move, headed your way slowly," Tony spoke quietly through their comms.

Gibbs replied by telling him and Henriqua to hold their positions.

"Got it, boss," Tony replied.

"Yes, Agent Gibbs." Henriqua added, almost talking over Tony.

She was relieved that Abby was okay and that they had arrived in time to prevent something awful happening to her. Henriqua was a very confident woman as well as being a very capable operative. She had to be for Henrietta Lange to trust her. The little woman was quite intimidating, and she in no way wanted to suffer the wrath of Henrietta. Agent Gibbs, as she was quickly finding out, had his own mystique about him. As Detective Deeks had warned her, he was not a man to be messed with, either. She had already gotten off to a questionable start with him this morning, and she wanted nothing more than this to come to a favorable conclusion.

Javier continued on his path, still mulling over how he would spend his time with the tall, dark haired woman. He may be old, but he wasn't dead. Maybe he'd have a little fun before killing her. It had been a while since he'd enjoyed a woman's body. The closer he got to the building, the more excited he became. Deciding to confront the woman inside her apartment rather than snatching her as she left, a smile spread across his aged face as his eyes shined in the glow of the streetlight.

* * *

Abby smiled at Bishop's tone of voice. Clearly the newest agent on their team was not happy about her current attire. "What's the matter? You don't like my choice of sleepwear?"

Ellie grimaced as she adjusted her clothing. "It's not the sleepwear so much as how it fits over my regular clothes," she complained.

"You could have just worn the gown and nothing el-" Abby started to reply.

"No!" Ellie interrupted her. "No, that's quite alright. God knows what this creep is gonna do, I want as much between him and me as I can get."

Gibbs chuckled. "In you go, Bishop. Tony says Javier is on his way now." He cocked his head towards the coffin/bed.

Bishop's eyes bugged out when she saw where Gibbs nodded to. She shook her head in disbelief, turning to Abby. "You really do sleep in a coffin? I, uh...I thought you guys were joking." She shifted from one foot to the other nervously.

Abby's eyes sparkled. "Oh yes, it's quite comfortable. Isn't that right, McGee?" Abby grinned at the slim agent, a deer caught in the headlights look on his face.

Bishop turned to Tim, a questioning look in her eyes as she waited for him to answer.

"Well, um...I...we, uh. Yes. Yes, it is comfortable," he nodded in agreement, stammering through his answer.

Abby twirled her hair with a satisfied grin as she eyed McGee. He glanced at her quickly and then away again, embarrassed by the current topic of conversation.

Gibbs shook his head at his team's antics, smirking. "Go on, Bishop, it's not going to kill you."

"Do I need to point out the irony of the situation here, Gibbs?"

Her boss just met her stare, saying nothing in return. He cocked his head towards the bed gently, raising a brow as he did.

She sighed and slowly settled in. She blew out a breath as she relaxed. "Wow. This is, this is actually not that bad, Abby."

"Told ya," Abby smiled.

"Okay, Abs, I want you to stay in the bathroom. Leave the door open. Hide in the shower and don't make a sound, got it?" Gibbs advised her.

A serious look came over her, their little fun moment over. She nodded and made her way down the hall.

"McGee, I want you to stay in there with her until Javier makes his way back here."

"Got it, boss." McGee followed Abby.

"Bishop, you pretend to be asleep. I'll be right here in the closet," Gibbs assured her. She nodded as Gibbs backed into the closet and pulled the door shut just enough that it didn't latch.

* * *

Javier was getting anxious the closer he got to the building. It was still early in the morning, but he didn't want to chance Abby getting up unexpectedly. He wanted the element of surprise on his side. Trying hard not to seem suspicious, he glanced down the street and behind him slowly, checking for anyone out and about. Still alone, he made his way to the entrance to Abby's building and pulled the door open.

Once inside the hallway of the unit that housed Abby Sciuto's apartment, he moved stealthily to her door. On high alert now as he closed in on the entrance, he listened intently for any movement in the other apartments along the corridor. Hearing nothing, he stopped in front of Abby's door. Knowing it would be locked, he still tried it anyway. Confirming it was indeed locked, he made quick work of picking it, but not before taking a quick glance up and down the hall once more. Satisfied he was alone, he slowly turned the handle. The door opened a few inches, but then was stopped by a door chain lock. Having come this far, he decided even if he woke the brunette scientist by busting the chain, he would still have the upper hand. He pulled the door shut, and then with a quick shove with all his weight against the door, popped the chain lock right off the wall as he pushed through. He closed the door behind him as he now stood in her living room. He listened patiently. Not hearing anything, he waited a few seconds as his eyes adjusted to the darkness.

* * *

 _ **Later that morning - in LA:**_

Nell and Eric sat side by side at their desks, combing through files and watching news reports. Neither spoke. It was a quiet morning so far, no active case for Sam and Callen to work on. Those two were down in the bullpen catching up on paperwork.

Callen sat silently, typing away at a report on his laptop. He glanced over at his partner, who had just slammed his lap top shut and leaned back in his chair with a concerned look on his face.

"Everything okay over there, Sam?"

"I don't like this, G. It's been over three weeks since we've heard anything," Sam replied. "Something's up. You think the Wonder Twins are holding out on us?"

Callen shifted in his chair, looking up the stairs to Ops and then over his shoulder towards Hetty's desk. Their boss appeared to be having a very meaningful discussion with someone over the phone. Turning back to Sam, he stood and moved from behind his desk. "Why don't we go up and ask?" He smirked as he met his partner's gaze.

Sam chuckled then, nodding back. "Sounds like a plan, G."

They both took the stairs two at a time, neither noticing that Hetty was watching them intently as they did. She shook her head slowly as she focused again on the voice in her ear.

"Don't you worry about what the others think, Mr. Deeks. It was a risky move, but one I expected you would make. I trust that one day soon you will understand and accept that your ability to make decisions like these are the very reason you are on this team." She paused, waiting for his response. She smiled. "Mr. Deeks, I can assure you that they do indeed appreciate your skills. It is time you sign those papers." Another pause, and then Hetty added, "I want you to know how sorry we were to hear about the loss of your friend, Eva. Be safe, Mr. Deeks."

Hetty hung the phone up and looked up to the balcony where her senior agents disappeared just moments before. Sighing, she resigned herself to the fact that she would have to go up there and update all of them before they did something foolish. She took a sip of her tea, then stood and walked towards the stairs.

"Guys, we're not lying. We haven't heard anything!" Nell proclaimed yet again as the two senior agents stared her and Eric down.

Eric sat there, nodding in agreement. He tried to contain the nervousness he was feeling under the glare of Callen, and especially Sam.

"Ms. Jones speaks the truth, gentlemen," Hetty chimed in, having slid into Ops undetected while her agents grilled her analyst and tech operator.

The sigh of relief from the Wonder Twins was heard clearly as their small operations manager approached them. Sam and Callen spun to face her.

"I'm afraid I've been keeping some information from you all," Hetty began, glancing at each one of them.

Sam scoffed before she could continue. "Well _that's_ nothing new, Hetty." His voice dripping with sarcasm.

"As true as that may be," she pointed a finger at Sam, "I'd tread very carefully when making comments like that in the future, Mr. Hanna." She looked up to the big man over the rim of her glasses. The stern look she was giving him made it very obvious she did not appreciate his tone.

Sam glanced at his partner before meeting Hetty's intense stare again, his anger still evident, but nodding. "I apologize. Please, continue."

Hetty nodded in response, lowering her hand. "Very well then. As you gentlemen may have noticed earlier, I was on the phone when you made your way up here hastily." She glanced between the two, noting the smirk on Callen's face as he stole a glance at his partner. "I was speaking with our Mr. Deeks."

"Deeks? Are they in trouble? Did he call asking for help? Just say the word, Hetty, and we'll go." Sam went from being more than a little irate to very concerned in mere seconds at the mention of their absent detective.

She held her hand up to stop his inquiry. "Mr. Deeks and Ms. Blye are just fine, everyone. I called him, in fact," she admitted.

"What? You, you called him?" Callen asked, a genuinely confused look on his face.

"Yes, Mr. Callen, I did. You see, from the moment Mr. Deeks arrived in Loreto I've had a very good friend of mine keeping an eye on him." She paused, letting the team catch up to what she was explaining to them. Seeing that they were with her, she continued. "She had been keeping me up to date on our Mr. Deeks' actions. I began to suspect that she was not being straight with me over the last week or so. She hasn't called in a couple days, and she is now refusing my repeated attempts to contact her. I opted to call Mr. Deeks instead. I had a sneaking suspicion that he had recruited my contact for his own use. After speaking with him, I can confirm that that it is indeed what happened."

Intrigued, the four people in the room stared at their boss in wonder.

"So Deeks commandeered the person you had spying on him for his own op?" Callen questioned, still a little confused - but also humored by the situation.

Hetty nodded, "He did. I must admit I wasn't surprised by the turn of events. Mr. Deeks has never been one to shy away from an opportunity when one appears before him."

"Wait - so you're not mad that Deeks stole your contact for his own mission?" Sam asked incredulously.

"I never said _that_ , Mr. Hanna. Believe me when I tell you that my associate and I will be having a very long talk when this is over."

"But not Deeks? Is that what I'm hearing, Hetty?" Callen added, a smirk threatening to appear.

"Gentlemen, it still never ceases to amaze me that even after all this time working with Mr. Deeks, you still act so surprised when his methods get results. Why on earth do you think I ever offered him the liaison position to begin with?" Hetty implored of them.

Eric and Nell sat back, enjoying the revelation taking place in front of them. It was no secret to them how much Hetty trusted Deeks and admired his skills. They themselves had witnessed time and again how he made the team better. The three agents on the team had consistently underestimated the LAPD detective. Not so much in the last year or so, especially Kensi and Sam, but they still were apt to dismiss something positive when it was directly related to Deeks' actions.

"There was no liaison position before Deeks, Hetty," Callen pointed out. He was seriously beginning to wonder if Deeks' claim that he was Hetty's favorite didn't hold a ring of truth to it.

The tiny woman with the big personality just grinned at the fact stated by Callen. Having made her point, she continued to relay everything Deeks had told her he had set in play since the day Eva had died. When she was done, the look she was met with from everyone in the room told her all she needed to know. They were all in awe.

"So this could be over with quickly?" Sam asked finally, still in disbelief at what they had just been told.

Hetty nodded her acknowledgement. "Soon, Mr. Hanna, very soon indeed."

* * *

"Who was that, Deeks?" Kensi asked curiously after listening to her partner repeat almost word for word what he had just explained to them.

Deeks chuckled nervously and then blew out a breath. He pocketed his phone slowly, still processing the conversation he had just had with his little ninja boss. He looked at Kensi, his eyes a brilliant blue. "That was, uh...that was Hetty."

* * *

 _ **A few hours prior - back in DC:**_

Once everything came into focus in the darkness of Abby Sciuto's living room, Javier smiled as he studied his surroundings. Still not a sound from anywhere in the apartment, he moved further inside. Seeing the hallway on the other side of the room, he made his way slowly, taking each step as softly as he could. There was a door on his right. When he came to the opening, he glanced inside. Seeing that it was just the bathroom, he continued on.

Behind the shower curtain, Abby's eyes were wide with fright as they listened to the man pass by their hideout. McGee held his weapon in front of them, ready to shoot if need be. They both quietly breathed a sigh of relief when they heard the man move on towards Abby's bedroom.

Javier came to the end of the hall. Stopping just outside the room, he could see that this was a bedroom. He took a step further into the room. It took several moments for him to realize that he was looking at a coffin. Thrown off slightly by this, he looked behind him nervously before focusing on the sight before him. Eventually, the memory of the gothic appearance of the woman who lived here started making sense to him. Of course, he thought, why wouldn't she sleep in a coffin? How appropriate for her, he thought again as he stepped closer yet. She was already waiting for him in her final resting place.

Ellie Bishop had never felt more vulnerable than she did right at this second. The fact that her boss was just inside the closet not more than five feet away from her was of no comfort. What if this Javier character just walked up to her and blew her brains out all over Abby's pillow? What if he just plunged a knife through her heart without so much as a word? She had to relax and trust that Gibbs would protect her. She swallowed hard as she heard someone enter the room and slowly step closer to her. She fought the urge to jump up and fight.

Gibbs watched through the small crack between the door and the jamb as a dark figure came into view. Gripping his own weapon tightly, ready to pounce at the first sign of trouble, he noticed the silencer on the end of the pistol Javier held in his hand.

Javier came to the side of the coffin and stared down wondrously at the sleeping woman. Very gently, he placed his left hand over her mouth. Her eyes shot open. The fear he saw there fueled the desire he had felt building inside him even before he had made it inside the building. He clamped down harder as her hands shot up to push his hand away from her mouth. He leaned forward with his weight assisting to keep his grip on her. Quickly he tucked his weapon in his pocket, then pulled the covers off her. Grasping his pistol once again, he slid it down her belly and between her legs.

Ellie wanted to scream but the man's grip on her face was vise-like. She tried to shove his hand off her, but he was too strong. She felt the covers being yanked off her and then something hard dragging across her abdomen. When she realized it was a gun, she really began to panic, especially when the man pushed it between her legs and rubbed it against her crotch. She was terrified, but at the same time, the fact she was being violated in this way was infuriating. She was very close to vomiting as she fought even harder. She was so thankful she had decided to keep all her clothes on under this damn nightgown, she thought as she tried to escape his grasp.

"Don't fight it, Abby. Just relax and let it happen. I promise when we're done I will kill you quickly," he rasped, his voice thick with lust as he grew even more aroused.

Ellie was in full on panic mode now and wondering why the hell Gibbs wasn't doing anything yet.

Javier left his gun stuck between her legs as he ran his right hand up over her breasts, squeezing roughly as he told her to relax. He was so excited now that it didn't register in his mind that there was more than one layer of clothing between his hand and the woman's skin. Grabbing his gun again, he brought it to her face and caressed her cheek with it, much like he'd done to Big P before he blew his head off. "Now Abby, I'm going to take my hand away. If you make a sound, I promise you it will be the last thing you ever do. Understood?"

Ellie played the part, nodding her head slowly.

"Good girl. Let's get you out of this gown now. I want to see what I'm about to enjoy."

"Oh, you don't need her out of that gown to see what you're about to enjoy, _Javier."_ Gibbs stepped out of the closet, gun trained on the man leaning over his agent.

When Javier heard the man's voice come from behind him, he jerked upright and spun around, forgetting all about the woman. He pointed his pistol at the man standing outside the closet door. It was at that moment he realized he'd been played.

"Agent Gibbs. I was hoping to save you for last. I guess plans change." Remembering Abby was now behind him, he stepped towards the end of the coffin, keeping Gibbs in his field of vision but bringing the woman in his sights, too. Javier laughed heartily. "You may have me, but your people in Mexico have no idea we know who they are. My people will take great pleasure in killing each and every one of them slowly," Javier proclaimed.

"My people know that your people are aware of them. They have known all along. Remember bumping into Stew at the morgue, Javier? You really think that phone was left behind by accident?" Gibbs was grinning now as he saw the realization begin to settle in Javier's mind. "Put your weapon down, Hernandez. Don't make me put a bullet in your head."

"Much like you did to my brother, Agent Gibbs? Is that what does it for you? I must admit there is a great satisfaction in seeing how the head explodes when pierced by a high velocity round. I find it quite fascinating." Javier was trying to remain calm, but he was quickly becoming enraged. How had he let this happen? Deciding to inflict as much pain as he could on Gibbs, he quickly jerked his weapon towards the woman sitting up in the coffin.

Ellie had just begun to relax as Gibbs and Javier talked. So sure that Gibbs was in complete control now, she had lowered her own weapon and listened as Gibbs told Javier his people back in Mexico had been played as well. She shook her head slowly as this man explained how he got off on seeing a person's head explode. The man was clearly not right. It was that thought going through her own mind when she saw Javier quickly aim his gun right at her. Her eyes grew wide as she attempted to bring her own weapon back up from her lap.

Back in Abby's shower, she and McGee huddled together as they listened to everything being said. Abby was so thankful for Ellie Bishop taking her place. She didn't know what Ellie went through in those short moments before Gibbs took over, but it hadn't sounded pleasant. The longer the conversation went on between the two men, the angrier they could hear Javier becoming. There were a few seconds of silence, then both Abby and McGee jumped when two gunshots rang out from her room and echoed down the hall.

 _ **TBC**_


	20. Chapter 20

**Season of Renewal**

 **Disclaimer: I still own nothing having to do with NCIS: LA or NCIS, just borrowing my favorite characters.**

 **Chapter 20**

Javier was so confident that he would avenge his brother's death that it blinded him to what he was now realizing was a set up. Time had truly run out for him. If only he hadn't decided to come to DC to exact his revenge, maybe things could have gone differently. In the end it just came down to the fact that his worn mind had gotten the better of him. His plan was flawed from the beginning, and he had grossly underestimated the man that had killed his brother. This was an elite group, Gibbs' team, and one he now wished he hadn't provoked. He also wished he could go back to Loreto and speak to Stew Gilmer, or whoever that man was. He would congratulate him on how convincingly he had deceived him. Quickly aiming at the woman, he wondered now if this was actually Abby Sciuto at all. It really didn't make a difference, he decided. As long as she was a team member of Gibbs, that's all that really mattered to him. One last shot at hurting Gibbs was literally all he had left now. He glanced from Gibbs to his target and began squeezing the trigger. That was the last thought he had before everything went black.

Gibbs relaxed as Javier's body lost its fight with gravity. The man fell backwards, slowly at first, a dull thud the result as he hit the carpeted floor. Gibbs glanced at Ellie, who was still aiming her weapon at the spot Javier had stood just seconds ago.

"You okay, Bishop?"

Ellie sat there, her heart racing so fast she could hear the roar of her blood flowing in her ears. She had to remind herself to breathe. When she heard her boss' voice, she jerked out of the trance-like state she had been in. "Yeah. Yeah, thanks Gibbs. I could have done without the...the groping, but I'm okay."

Gibbs helped her out of the bed. They both looked at the dead man on Abby's bedroom floor. "Nice shot," they said in unison. They looked at each other for a moment, then both of them chuckled lightly.

Javier had two extra holes in his body. One right between the eyes thanks to Gibbs. The other straight through the heart via Bishop's quick reaction to him having pointed his gun at her.

"Boss?" McGee hollered from the bathroom.

"Clear, McGee." Gibbs answered over his shoulder. "DiNozzo, you and Henriqua can get in here, too. Call Ducky while you're at it."

A few seconds later both Abby and Tim stepped into Abby's bedroom.

Hearing them, Gibbs added, "Hit the lights, Abs."

The room lit up. McGee walked to where Bishop and Gibbs stood, staring down at the man who had dared threaten Gibbs and his team.

Abby approached slowly, not really wanting to look but not being able to help her curiosity. She glanced at Bishop. "Oh my God, Bishop, are you okay? What did he do to you?" Abby's voice broke as she pulled the agent into a tight hug.

"I'm fine, Abby. Really." She insisted as she stepped back from the frantic woman.

"Does it hurt? It looks like it hurts. Are you sure you're okay?" Abby rambled in rapid fire, short sentences, completely amped on an adrenalin rush.

Ellie reached up to her mouth once she realized that was where Abby's eyes were focused. Her face did feel a bit tender once she started to think about it. Now that the lights were on, everyone looked at the agent worriedly. A hand print was clearly visible across her mouth and onto her cheek. Javier's grip had been so tight that he left a mark where his hand had clamped over her mouth.

Bishop wiggled her lower jaw back and forth to prove that she really was okay. "See, Abby? All good here," Ellie smiled up at the concerned scientist.

Abby squeezed her lips together and furrowed her brow, staring into the eyes of the woman who had taken her place in order to catch the killer. Abby once again pulled the woman into a hug. Ellie let her, not wanting to admit that even though what she had gone through at the hands of Hernandez could have been so much worse, she was very shaken by the experience.

Several hours later, the scene secured and Javier's body back at the morgue with Ducky and Palmer, Gibbs ordered everyone to the office. McGee was to stay with Abby long enough for her to get dressed, then he would escort her to work.

Vance met with them all. Once he was assured his people were okay, he nodded to Gibbs. He turned and headed back up to his office.

Gibbs watched him go. When the man disappeared, Gibbs turned back to Abby. "Time to make that phone call, Abs," Gibbs advised her, nodding to the phone in her hand.

"With pleasure, Gibbs." Abby replied softly as she pulled up the number.

While Abby was dialing Deeks' burner phone, Director Vance settled in at his desk. Taking a deep breath, he picked up the phone and called Henrietta Lange. He was sure she probably already had a good idea that there was something afoot with her detective and his partner. He figured he'd let her know that the DC portion of Detective Deeks' plan had come to a close successfully, and that the detective was being made aware it was clear to press onward on his end.

* * *

As the four of them stood there still absorbing the information they had been given about Deeks and his plan, the phone on Eric's desk began ringing. He spun around and answered it quickly.

"Director Vance, to what do I owe this honor?"

When the director's name was mentioned, Callen peered at Sam, a questioning look on his brow.

"She's standing right here, sir," Eric spun around. "Director Vance for you, Hetty." He held the phone out to her.

She glanced at her team. "Excuse me a moment." She took the phone from Eric, "Thank you, Mr. Beale," she nodded to her tech operator. Putting the phone to her ear, "Hello, Leon."

They all listened intently at the fairly one sided conversation. With the exception of a few "uh huh's" and "I see's", Hetty didn't say much else.

"Yes, I understand. Please keep us posted. Thanks for the call, Leon." Hetty hung up slowly, then turned to face the four anxious people in the room with her.

"The completion of the mission rests with Mr. Deeks now. Jethro and his team are safe. The threat in DC has been eliminated. The man Mr. Deeks discovered with Ms. Espinoza's help broke in to Ms. Scuito's apartment earlier this morning. Jethro and the others were waiting for him. There was a confrontation. Agent Eleanor Bishop played the part of Ms. Scuito. The man attempted to assault her. Jethro and Eleanor shot and killed him. They have just informed Mr. Deeks. His team will now engage their suspects in Loreto. Once they have finished taking the rest of the men down, they will fly back to Washington for a debriefing. I suspect Mr. Deeks and Ms. Blye will be back here within the week." Hetty clasped her hands in front of her as she gazed from one team member to the next. "That is all I have for now. Any questions?"

"His plan really worked." Callen stated quietly, contemplating what Deeks had pulled off. Still having a hard time accepting that Deeks was able to launch such an intricate plan seemingly off the cuff, Callen shook his head in wonder.

"Indeed, Mr. Callen."

Sam chuckled, cocking his head to the side. " _His_ team. I'm sorry - no offense against Deeks, Hetty - that just sounds weird."

"Must I remind you again, gentlemen, that there is a very good reason Mr. Deeks is a member of _this_ team?" She stared each of the senior agents in the eye, daring them to answer.

The door to Ops slid open and Assistant Director Granger appeared. He stopped just inside the door. "A word, Henrietta?"

Hetty turned to face Granger. "Of course, Owen." She turned back to her team, specifically Callen and Sam. "I assume you both still have paperwork that needs attention?"

They glanced at each other as Eric and Nell spun around in their chairs, focusing on the monitors in front of them. Callen smirked while Sam had a scowl spreading across his face. They both nodded as their boss moved to follow Granger.

Just before the door slid shut behind them, they heard Granger comment to Hetty, "We need to talk about Blye and Deeks, Henrietta."

Sam looked at Callen, a worried expression clouding his face. "What do you make of that, G?"

Callen turned from the door where the assistant director and Hetty had just exited to his partner. "I'm not sure." He glanced to Eric and Nell. "You guys know why Granger wants to talk about Kensi and Deeks?"

They both shook their heads. "I'll see if I can figure something out," Nell offered.

Eric nodded, "Yeah, me too."

Callen nodded in return. "Thanks guys. Keep us posted."

* * *

"Hetty? What did she want?" Kensi demanded, a bewildered look on her face.

Fornell and EJ waited patiently for an answer, both of them just as perplexed.

"Uh, she was checking up on Henriqua. Apparently she is refusing Hetty's calls," Deeks chuckled, then continued, "Hetty assumed it was because I had her doing something other than what she was supposed to be doing." Deeks grinned.

Kensi smirked, while the other two looked even more confused.

"What else?" Kensi prodded.

Deeks ran a hand through his hair, glancing around the room quickly before meeting Kensi's impatient stare again. "Um, she reaffirmed with me her reason for having me on the team." He looked away, the conversation making him feel awkward.

Kensi's expression softened. She knew Deeks still sometimes felt he was not worthy due to his badge not matching those of his team, among other things. He had long ago proven to her that he was just as capable as any of them, maybe even more so in certain areas - and no matter what his badge said, he truly was one of them.

EJ cleared her throat. "Are you in trouble for stealing her help?" Agent Barrett smirked. She'd heard all about Henrietta Lange. She was not a person to get on the wrong side of, and she almost pitied Deeks at the moment.

Deeks' eyes lit up at this and a mischievous grin spread across his face. "What? No. No, I'm her favorite, you see, so-"

Kensi interrupted him by covering his mouth with her hand, "Don't listen to him, EJ. The truth of the matter is that he is probably in trouble, but not as much as Henriqua. Am I right Deeks?" She pulled her hand away slowly.

Deeks opened his mouth to make another ridiculous claim, but his phone going off in his pocket held that thought in check. He slid his phone out quickly. When he saw the number calling, the humor disappeared from his features.

Stealing a line from Gibbs, he answered, "What do ya got, Abby?"

Everyone watched closely as Deeks listened to the voice on the other end of the call. The call didn't last long, but seemed like it took forever to the curious bunch who glanced nervously at each other. Whatever Deeks was being told, he wasn't giving much away by his end of the conversation. Kensi did catch how he held his body a little more tensely, though, so she knew something was coming that would put an end to their little session they had been having.

"I'm glad you're okay, Abs. Bishop too. I hate that she had to go through that, but it could have been worse. You both know that, right? Okay. I will. We all will be. See you soon." Deeks dropped the phone from his ear and stared at it for a moment. Slowly, he returned it to his pocket and lifted his gaze to meet those of his friends.

Fornell was far passed being patient at this point. "Deeks? What's going on?"

"Javier is dead. He broke into Abby's apartment earlier this morning. Henriqua had warned Gibbs. They were waiting for him. He thought he was with Abby, but Bishop had taken her place. He started to assault her when Gibbs stopped him. Gibbs and Bishop shot him."

"Is Agent Bishop alright? What happened?" EJ demanded to know.

"Apparently Javier was planning on raping and killing Abby. He made a move on Bishop, thinking she was Abby, but it didn't get far before Gibbs interrupted him. She's fine, just shaken up by it."

"Oh, thank God," Kensi sighed, blowing out a breath.

Tobias and EJ both nodded in agreement of Kensi's sentiment.

"So now what, Deeks? Obviously having Kensi take you out is off the table, at least from our stand point." Fornell stood there, staring at the detective.

Deeks shrugged. "We take _them_ out. They don't know Javier is dead. That should give us the edge we need to surprise them."

"Should, Deeks? I don't like the sound of that. We need a definite plan," Kensi argued.

"Let me approach Aldeberto again," Fornell suggested. Deeks seemed to be contemplating it. The women glanced at each other and then looked at the two men, waiting for Deeks to say something. Aldeberto was the man who wanted Fornell's shooter to kill Stew.

"Alright," Deeks said slowly, the wheels turning in his mind. "You and Kensi meet up with him. EJ and I will hang back-"

"No! No way, Deeks. Let EJ team up with Tobias. We're partners, Deeks! You and I. I'll have your-"

"You don't think I'm capable of watching your partner's back, Kensi?" EJ interrupted before Kensi could finish her thought or Deeks could argue back. "Do I need to remind you that I did a fine job of it before we met up with you? Who knows what would have happened if I hadn't found him when I did!"

Agent Barrett stood straighter, defending her abilities, her stance just daring Kensi to argue otherwise. Deeks and Fornell both looked on, surprised, as both women squared off to face each other now.

"Yes you did, _EJ_ , but I'll watch his back from here on out, thank you very much. No offense, of course." Kensi countered sarcastically, a fake smile spreading across her face.

"Of course," EJ smirked.

Deeks shook his head, chuckling, as he thought back to a scene that felt very similar to this one that took place in the boatshed between Kensi and DEA Agent Del Campo. If Kensi starts fluffing her hair or EJ flaunts her breasts by adjusting her shirt, Deeks thought, he would surely just turn around and leave the room.

Fornell finally spoke up, "It must be rough, Deeks, the ladies fighting over you. Probably not the first time this has happened, am I right?" Tobias grinned, but there was no humor behind it. He turned to the women, "Are you two through with your little pissing match?" His brow raised as he glared at them.

Kensi and EJ glanced at each other quickly, both turning a bit red in the face as Tobias' accusation and assumption settled over them.

"We weren't fighting!" Kensi declared as she looked to Deeks for support. When she saw the gleam in his eye and the smirk curling at the corners of his mouth, she sighed heavily and looked away.

"Marty is right, Kensi. We go in as planned with you as my shooter. Let them continue to think we aren't aware that they know who we are." Fornell explained.

"But-" Kensi started to protest before being cut off by Deeks.

"Kens, we're all going to be there together. Tobias can call for a meeting. EJ and I will hang back and let you guys get inside, then we'll follow."

Kensi blew out a breath, ready to argue the point. "There's only the four of us, Deeks! Even if we're heavily armed, we're bound to be outnumbered!"

Fornell spoke up in defense of Deeks, "We are, Kensi, but not by as many as you'd think. Maybe a dozen at most."

Deeks just smiled as Kensi glared from Fornell back to him. "Don't worry, Fern. We have back-up."

"We do?" All three of his friends asked in unison. They were all shocked by this revelation, none more so than Fornell.

"What else haven't you told us, Marty?" The grizzled FBI agent insisted to know.

Deeks looked at the floor for a split second, then glanced around the room at all of them. The amused look had disappeared from his face, replaced by a solemn one. "Um, Eva's team...Officer Zarazua and others offered to help in any way they could. We have their full support - all I have to do is make the call."

EJ chuckled. "That would have been nice to know a little sooner, Marty."

Deeks nodded, a relaxed expression appearing on his face. "Duly noted."

Fornell pulled his phone out. "I'll make the call now. Let's get these bastards and go home."

* * *

Abby had made her call to Deeks and gone back down to her lab. McGee, Bishop and DiNozzo were filling out reports and checking emails. Gibbs took a deep breath as he sat at his desk. He slid his drawer open and stowed his weapon. Out of the corner of his eye he saw the director peering down at him from the balcony. Their eyes met for a few seconds. Gibbs nodded slightly and stood, slowly making his way for the stairs.

"Ms. Sciuto made the call, Gibbs?" Vance inquired the moment Jethro stepped into his office.

"Yeah, Leon."

"Good. I called Henrietta and brought her up to speed."

"You think that was wise?" Gibbs questioned his boss.

"Deeks already has her one asset in the area working for him. What more can she do?"

Gibbs chuckled. "You don't think she'd send Callen and Agent Hanna down to Mexico?"

Director Vance smiled, leaning back in his chair. "One never knows with that woman, Gibbs. Guess we'll have to see how it plays out. You think it'll be done today?"

Gibbs shrugged. "Depends. We didn't get a chance to find out from Javier how many men he had. I suspect Tobias and Marty have a good idea."

Vance contemplated Gibbs' answer for a moment, then nodded slowly.

* * *

Fornell had set up a meeting back at Aldeberto's house while Deeks had put a call in to Officer Zarazua. Several of the men had already been rounded up by Eva's colleagues soon after the call was made. Many of them were known by the officers from previous run-ins. That left between five to seven men unaccounted for.

Deeks, along with Fornell and both women, sat in Eva's Jeep down the street from the house Fornell had met Aldeberto in previously. Deeks had been there, also, so both were somewhat familiar with the layout of the two story home. They knew Aldeberto was inside, as well as Jose, the man Deeks had first made contact with the day Eva had been killed. As the agreed upon time of their meeting drew closer, three other men had shown up. That made at least five in the house. With the others that Officer Zarazua had corralled for them earlier, they were fairly confident that with the element of surprise on their side, it was about as fair a fight as they could hope for.

They all glanced at each other. Fornell opened his door and climbed out. Kensi hesitated, staring at her partner for several seconds. The two held a silent conversation with Deeks finally nodding to her. She nodded back and slid out her door to follow Tobias.

As the two walked towards the house, EJ turned to Deeks, catching the worried look in his eyes as they followed the receding figures.

"As soon as they get inside, we move in." Deeks said without looking at her.

"Everything will be fine, Marty. You two will be back in LA before you know it and this will be behind us all."

"Yeah." Still not meeting her gaze, he kept his attention focused on Kensi as she and Fornell approached the door. As soon as it opened, Deeks flung his door open and jumped out. "Let's go."

EJ watched as Deeks took off up the street, not waiting for her. Not liking the dark, determined look on the detective's face, she started to get a bad feeling. She shut her door and ran to catch up to him. Just as she pulled abreast of him, they both heard gunfire. They glanced at each other for a split second, then both took off at a sprint towards the house.

The shooting had stopped. Deeks entered first, weapon drawn and ready. Jose and one of the men they had seen arrive lay dead on the living room floor. Fornell appeared on the other side of the room, exiting the kitchen. He looked to be uninjured.

"I got one more in there," he whispered, tilting his head back towards the way he had come.

That made three down, two or more to go. Upstairs, another two shots rang out. The sounds of a struggle filtered its way down to the three standing there in the living room.

"Where's Kensi?" Deeks mouthed quietly. Fornell looked at the staircase just to the left of the detective.

Deeks nodded and took off, taking them two at a time. Fornell came up right behind him, with EJ bringing up the rear. Up on the landing, another body sat crumpled against the wall. In front of them was a large open area. There were two doors, one on either side of the room. Deeks pointed that he would take the one on the left. Fornell took the one on the right while EJ stood guard from her spot at the top of the stairs.

Deeks threw the door open to his room to find it empty. It was a small bathroom. He spun around, paying close attention to the room across from him.

Fornell pushed his door open. From behind him, Deeks could see over the man's shoulder. There, at the back of the room, stood his partner. Her face was bruised and her hair a mess. Her eyes were full of fury. Deeks could tell she was fighting the urge to make a move. The only problem with that was that Aldeberto was standing behind her, one arm around her throat and a gun held to her head.

Fornell raised his gun. Deeks came and stood next to Tobias, his eyes locked on Kensi's, his own gun hung by his side in his hand.

"Drop your weapon and this can end right now." Agent Fornell stated calmly.

Aldeberto laughed, still holding his gun against Kensi's head. "No way, man."

"I have no problem with shooting you where you stand. Let her go." Fornell warned.

Aldeberto pressed the barrel of his gun harder into Kensi's temple. Deeks saw her wince in pain. She bit her lower lip to keep from crying out. The rage he felt building inside was about to boil over. The pain and anger from losing his friend Eva came rushing back. On top of that, now seeing Kensi hurting and being threatened by this dirtbag was more than he could take. His grip tightened on his weapon.

Aldeberto yanked Kensi back another step as he slid even further behind her, using her as a shield. He ducked his head behind hers for a moment, popping back out to make another threat. "I'll kill her before you even ge-"

A hole appeared just above Aldeberto's right eye as the sound of a gunshot echoed around the room. Startled, Fornell jumped back from the doorway. It was then he noticed Deeks' right hand slowly dropping back to his side. Kensi dropped to her knees as Aldeberto fell away from her. Deeks ran to her, still saying nothing, running on pure adrenalin. Her eyes met his and he was finally able to find his voice.

"Kens, are you okay? I didn't hit you, did I? Are you hit?"

She shook her head no, letting him pull her back to her feet. She wrapped her arms around him, pulling herself as tightly as she could to him, taking comfort in the fact that he had saved her.

"You're one crazy son of a bitch, Deeks! Who the hell takes that shot? You could have killed her! I wasn't really going to shoot!" Fornell yelled at the detective, still stunned by the lightning fast move Deeks had pulled off.

"I promised myself I'd never not take the shot again." Deeks said softly as he pulled his partner towards the main room.

Kensi looked up at him. When the smile curled at the corners of her mouth, Deeks gave her his mega-watt smile.

Before Tobias could ask what he was talking about, they all heard glass shattering downstairs and a loud whoosh, followed by a crackling, popping sound. EJ spun around from the stairs, her eyes wide as she ran towards the other three. Outside, a car could be heard roaring away from the house.

"What the hell was that?" Fornell shouted.

"Fire!" EJ gasped, her voice filled with panic.

No sooner than she had said that than a cloud of dark smoke wafted up the stairwell. Within seconds the room was filled with it. The only visible window was at the top of the stairs.

"No, no, no! This can't be happening. Are you kidding me right now?" Deeks exclaimed, moving towards the window. As he got closer, he ducked down under the thickest smoke, covering his mouth in the crook of his arm. Before he reached it, flames began licking up the walls of the stairwell, curling against the ceiling and fanning out. The old house was going up fast. Deeks fell back, the heat turning his skin red as it blasted its way up to the second floor.

"Deeks!" Kensi screamed, rushing towards him and helping him back as he scrambled to get away from the fire.

The four of them hunkered down as far away from the stairs as they could. They watched in horror as the window they had hoped, albeit fleetingly, to escape through disappeared behind a wall of flames.

 _ **TBC**_


	21. Chapter 21

**Season of Renewal**

 **Disclaimer: I own nothing, just borrowing my favorite characters.**

 **Chapter 21**

Granger and Hetty continued down the stairs and made their way back to her desk. Granger took a seat and watched as Hetty settled into her chair. She freshened her cup of tea she had left earlier. She picked it up to take a sip, noticing the smug look on the assistant director's face.

"You really are proud of yourself, aren't you Owen?" Hetty implored.

He grinned at her. "I don't know what you're talking about, Henrietta," he replied facetiously.

Hetty rolled her eyes. "Oh, come now. You know exactly what I'm talking about! You need to speak with me about Blye and Deeks?" She shook her head in disgust. "Really, why must you stir the pot, Owen?"

Granger's eyes filled with a mischievous glimmer as he continued to smile. "You don't even know if they heard what I said, Henrietta."

"I'm quite sure they did. And if I know Mr. Callen and Mr. Hanna, they have Mr. Beale and Ms. Jones digging for information on their absent teammates right now in hopes of figuring out why you would want to speak to me about them."

The assistant director was about to comment further when Sam and Callen came down the stairs, both of them eyeing their boss and Granger as they did. Granger hid his joy behind a scowl, hoping the two senior agents hadn't seen the smile on his face just moments before. They returned to their desks and appeared to go back to their unfinished paperwork. Hetty chuckled, a smile threatening to spread across her aged features. Assistant Director Granger seemed to be softening in his old age. He was taking great joy in tormenting the pair of agents across the room. Another benefit of having Mr. Deeks around, she thought. Granger would never admit to it, but the detective seemed to have worn off on him a bit.

Sam and Callen glanced at each other once they sat down at their desks.

"Granger didn't look very happy, G."

Callen looked over his shoulder in Hetty's direction quickly before turning back to his partner.

"Does he ever look happy, Sam?" Callen smirked.

Sam chuckled as he flipped his laptop open. "You do have a point there, partner," he paused as his thoughts turned serious again. "Still, I don't like this."

Callen studied Sam's face for a moment, pursing his lips. He nodded and turned back to his own laptop.

Back in Ops, Eric and Nell were scouring through files and reports, looking for anything that might lead them to a reason why Granger would need to speak with Hetty about Kensi and Deeks.

"Anything yet, Beale?" Nell queried as she tapped away at her keyboard.

Eric stopped typing, glancing at Nell with an irritated look on his face. "Still nothing," he sighed dejectedly.

Nell nodded, pressing her lips together. Suddenly her eyes lit up and smile appeared. "Hey, I have an idea! This won't help us figure out what Granger wants, but we could track them!" Nell proclaimed triumphantly.

Eric shook his head no. "Deeks is using a burner. He's had his work cell off and the battery must be out of it. I've tried that already, Nell."

"But I bet Kensi has her phone on. She's with Deeks now."

Eric grinned when he realized his partner was correct. He snapped his fingers and pointed at her. "You're absolutely right! Why didn't I think of that? Give me some skin, rock star!" He held his hand out, palm up. Nell giggled and smacked it with hers.

Within minutes, the pair had tracked down Kensi's location. Eric went to work searching for all the video feeds he could find, if any, that would allow them to view their friends. Nell sent Sam and Callen texts letting them know they had found Kensi and Deeks' whereabouts.

Back down in the bullpen, Callen and Sam begrudgingly continued with their paperwork. Both of their phones pinged with a message at the same time. They checked the message in unison, with Sam looking over to Callen, an amused look on his face.

"Back up to Ops, G?"

Callen chuckled, glanced in Hetty and Granger's direction, then turned back to Sam. "Why not?" He smiled as he stood from his chair.

The two of them went back up the stairs and disappeared.

Granger watched them go. With a somewhat surprised look on his face, he met Hetty's glare. "What do you suppose the Wonder Twins have found?"

Hetty shook her head slowly. "I don't know, Owen - but just remember that whatever it is, you brought this on yourself." She pointed a finger as she admonished him.

The assistant director glanced up to the balcony once more, then sighed as he squinted and pinched the bridge of his nose in frustration.

Sam and Callen reappeared in Ops to find both Eric and Nell studiously typing at their keyboards and glancing at their monitors. They walked up behind the pair and watched quietly. It wasn't often that they saw this side of the team and how they operated while they, along with Kensi and Deeks, were out facing dangerous situations in person.

Eric stopped typing and sat up straight, sighing in frustration as he pushed his glasses up. Nell stopped, too, as she turned to Eric with a concerned look on her face.

"What's wrong, Eric?" She asked worriedly.

He glanced over to meet her gaze. Sensing they had company, he spun around to find Sam and Callen standing there.

"Yeah, Eric, what's up?" Sam pressed their tech for an answer.

"Guys, I have searched everywhere. There is absolutely no video available anywhere close to the area Kensi's phone is located." Eric slumped in his chair, a look of defeat in his eyes.

Sam stared at the monitors for a moment, thinking. "There's gotta be some way we can get eyes on them."

Suddenly Nell jumped out of her seat, her eyes wide. "That's it! I need to go clear something with Hetty first!" She exclaimed excitedly as she ran for the door to Ops.

The three men watched her go, all of them with varying degrees of curiosity etched in their expressions. Eric glanced at the senior agents once the door slid shut behind her. He shrugged nonchalantly and spun around to his keyboard, leaving Sam and Callen to ponder what the little analyst had up her sleeve.

Back downstairs, Granger saw Nell come bounding down the stairs. "This should be interesting," he said to Hetty.

Nell approached Hetty's area, but pulled up short until Hetty motioned for her to come closer.

"Is something the matter, Ms. Jones?" Hetty inquired.

"No, not really. Um...I don't know. Is there?" Nell glanced back upstairs as if wondering whether this was a good idea or not. Turning back, she met the stares of the two seated at the desk. Sighing, she decided to just come clean and explain what she, _they_ , were doing. "Okay, so the guys, um...all of us...are really curious and worried about Kensi and Deeks." She stared wide eyed at her boss and Granger, waiting for them to stop her. When neither did, she nodded slightly and continued. "Right. I was able to find Kensi's location by tracking her phone. Eric tried, but cannot find any video feeds in the area they are located."

"What are you getting at, Jones?" Granger demanded of the nervous analyst.

Nell squeezed her lips tight, took a breath and charged ahead with her thought. "I have a - contact, shall we say? A contact within the NRO. They owe me a huge favor. I was thinking-" she paused, swaying gently back and forth as she thought through what she wanted to propose, "I was thinking I could ask them if they had a satellite they could link us up with so that we could check on Deeks and the others?" Her brow raised as she stood there, glancing back and forth between Hetty and Granger.

The assistant director glanced from Nell to Hetty, the slightest of smirks showing on his face. Hetty studied him for a moment, then turned to Nell again. Knowing that her team would relentlessly pursue any leads regarding the pair currently working an op in Mexico, she came to a decision.

"Ms. Jones, seeing as how there are no current cases for you four to be working on at this moment, I'll allow you to request the assistance of your - _friend_." Hetty smiled.

Nell's eyes lit up in surprise at Hetty's permission. "Thank you, Hetty! Assistant Director Granger." She nodded to them, then turned to hurry back up to Ops to let the others know what her plan was.

"Jones!" Granger called out after her in his gruff voice.

Nell stopped and faced the assistant director, a look of concern on her face. "Yes?"

"Let us know when you have eyes on them."

Nell grinned when she heard that. "I will, sir." She spun around once again and headed for the stairs, excited to share her news with the guys.

Hetty smirked as she stared at the assistant director.

Granger looked at Hetty. "What's that look for, Henrietta?"

"After the disdain you seemed to harbor towards my team when you first appeared here in LA, Owen, I never thought I'd see the day where you'd actually act like you care about them."

Granger smiled genuinely at her comment, but said nothing.

Up in Ops, Nell returned to her desk, her fingers working in a flurry as she typed out an email. She hit send and then turned to catch the three guys staring at her anxiously. A mischievous smile blossomed on her face.

"What are you up to, Nell?" Callen finally broke the silence when it became evident she was enjoying keeping them all in suspense.

Sam and Eric waited with bated breath for her to answer. Nell glanced around at them all, then took a deep breath and began talking.

"So I have this person who owes me a favor. They work for the NRO. Hetty gave me the okay to ask if they can provide a satellite feed of the area where Kensi and Deeks are," she explained.

Eric was very impressed with this admission, but also had many questions rushing through his mind as to who this person was and why they owed Nell a favor. Something he decided he would try to ascertain later.

Callen and Sam glanced at each other, smirks on both their faces. "You have connections within the National Reconnaissance Office?" G asked her skeptically when he turned to face her again.

She could tell by the way they were all looking at her that they were surprised by this revelation.

"Guys, why is it so hard to believe that?" She really didn't expect an answer, and she didn't get one. "Yes, I do," she defended herself.

"So how long before we can see anything?" Sam queried.

Nell smirked, holding her hand up. "Hold on, Sam. I've just sent my request through to this person. It will really depend on whether they have a satellite near there or if they'll have to reposition one." She glanced at her monitor. "I still haven't received a reply yet."

Sam looked at his partner. "We might as well go back to our paperwork, G. It's not going to fill itself out."

Callen nodded in agreement and turned to Nell. "Let us know when you hear something?"

Nell smiled. "Of course."

Not long after the guys had returned to the bullpen, Nell's computer dinged when a new email came in. Eric watched closely as she opened it. A smile grew at the corner of her mouth as she turned to him. He smiled back, but the urge to ask who this mysterious contact was overrode his enthusiasm. Sensing Eric's curiosity, Nell explained to him who this person was.

"Relax, Beale. My contact is the boyfriend of my roommate I had in college."

Eric chuckled, trying to cover his obvious interest in who this person was to Nell. "Oh! Great! That's uh, that's good. Why did he owe you a favor, exactly?" He looked at her anxiously, his voice escalating in pitch as he asked.

"Weeeelll," she said slowly, teasing him by making it as dramatic as she could, finally answering quickly when Eric's eyes continued to widen, "I introduced him to my roommate. They recently became engaged to be married. He insisted that he owed me for getting them together."

"Awe," Eric breathed a sigh of relief, "that is so sweet!" He pushed his glasses up and smiled genuinely.

Nell nodded, a knowing smile on her face. "Uh huh. Okay, soooo...I'm gonna go let Hetty know that we'll have a satellite link soon." She jumped up from her desk and headed for the door.

Eric took a deep breath and stared at his monitor for a moment, then started typing in another search for Kensi's phone.

Nell had updated Hetty and the others. As she returned to Ops, Hetty and Granger conferred with Sam and Callen. They decided it would be nice to give Gibbs' team the option of watching, too. They walked as a group up to Ops, where Hetty had Eric patch her through to Director Vance in Washington, DC.

* * *

It had been a long day for Gibbs' team. The early morning drama that went down at Abby's place had drained everyone. Thankfully - for them anyway, not so much for the victim - they had caught a quick case soon after Abby had called Deeks. It was a welcome distraction, and all lost themselves in the case, solving it by the end of the day. Everyone still sat at their desks early into the evening. As they all prepared to call it a night, Director Vance stepped out to the balcony and called down to them.

"Gibbs, thanks to Henrietta's team in LA, we will have access to a satellite feed from Mexico. If you or your team are interested, they think Detective Deeks and Agent Fornell are about to make their move."

Gibbs nodded, then glanced around the room from McGee, DiNozzo and then Bishop, his brow raised. Each one of them stopped what they were doing as they all were now glancing at each other. In unison, they nodded and headed for the stairs. With a smirk, Gibbs turned his monitor off and followed after his team.

Halfway up the stairs, McGee stopped and waited for Gibbs to catch up. "Hey boss, shouldn't we invite Abby up, too?"

Gibbs smiled. "Yeah. We should, McGee." He cocked his head back down the stairs. "Go on, go get her."

"On it, boss," Tim nodded as he headed back down the stairs.

"Hey McGee!" Gibbs called after him.

"Yeah, boss?"

"Tell Ducky and Palmer, too."

McGee acknowledged with another nod of his head and continued on his way.

Tony, Ellie, and Jethro entered MTAC. Vance noticed there was someone missing.

"McGee not coming, Gibbs?"

"He is, Leon. He went to get Abs, Ducky, and Palmer."

Vance smiled as the big screen came to life. There stood the LA team in Ops. "Henrietta, how nice to see you."

The small operations manager smirked. "Nice to see you, too, Leon."

Vance glanced at the others on the screen, acknowledging them all, including Granger.

"What can you tell us about Detective Deeks and the others?" Director Vance posed the obvious question.

Hetty turned and nodded to Nell. "Ms. Jones?"

Nell stepped forward, tablet in hand. "So far it appears that they are still at their safe house. We researched the property. It is, um...it had actually belonged to Eva Espinoza." She paused, waiting for any questions from the DC team. When none were forthcoming, she continued. "There's a Jeep sitting in the driveway," Nell swiped at her tablet, and the screen in MTAC split so that the DC team could see the LA team in one view and an aerial view of a neighborhood in the other. "We are assuming this is the vehicle they are using to get around in."

"Have you seen any movement yet?" Director Vance inquired.

"Nothing yet, sir," Nell shook her head, "but we've only been linked up for a few moments now."

Gibbs listened intently to what the LA analyst had to say, which wasn't much unfortunately. His eyes scanned the satellite footage, taking in every detail he could of the house and vehicle sitting outside, watching for any movement.

The door to MTAC opened and in walked McGee with Abby and the other two, rounding out the full DC team. The only two missing were the second half of the LA team, which they all hoped to have eyes on soon. All eyes were now focused on the satellite feed.

"There," Gibbs pointed to the screen. "Is that Tobias?"

A figure had appeared from the front porch of the house and walked to the Jeep, opening a door and leaning inside. The image was pretty clear, but still a good distance away.

"We should get a closer view shortly." Nell explained hopefully. Almost as if her friend was listening in - and maybe he was - the image zoomed in tighter.

"That must be Agent Barrett." Sam observed a woman approach the figure leaning into the Jeep, carrying something in her arms.

Callen nodded, as well as Gibbs and his team, at the comment from Sam. "Yeah, that's Barrett," Gibbs confirmed as he watched closely. "They're gearing up."

"Marty!" Abby pointed at the detective as he stepped into view from the house.

"And there's Kensi," Callen added soon after as the brunette agent followed her partner closely, both with their hands full.

The commentary continued on like this, back and forth between the teams in DC and LA as they watched their friends eventually drive away in the Jeep. Deeks was driving, with Fornell behind Deeks, Agent Barrett riding shotgun, with Kensi in the passenger side rear seat. A few jokes were made about the seating arrangements from the LA crew, seeing as how they knew Kensi always had to drive. It seemed odd that the two had split up and that Kensi had actually agreed to ride in back with Fornell. It was something that both Callen and Sam planned to give her grief about when the two of them returned to LA.

Nell's NRO friend maneuvered the camera with great skill, following the Jeep's path several miles before it pulled to the side of the street in an older, run down neighborhood. Once it had come to a stop, the camera zoomed back in for a better view. No one got out of the Jeep, and the teams watching from Ops and MTAC quickly surmised their friends were watching a house somewhere down the street from where they were parked.

Gibbs, Callen and Sam, all in unison, noticed the house just at the edge of the camera's view where it appeared a person had gone inside. Shortly thereafter, two more men parked out front and went in.

"Whatever they have planned, it's going down in that house there," Callen said to no one in particular. The LA group all glanced at each other nervously.

Gibbs nodded in agreement as he continued to study the Jeep.

DiNozzo spoke up next. "Fornell's getting out of the Jeep." The door behind Deeks swung open and the veteran FBI agent appeared.

The rear door on the passenger side opened, but no one exited immediately. Finally, Kensi slid out. She and Fornell walked side by side down the street, straight up to the house the men had gone in. As soon as the two disappeared inside, the driver's door of the Jeep flew open and Deeks got out. Not waiting for Barrett, he took off at a quick pace. EJ jumped out and ran to catch up to the detective. From MTAC and Ops, everyone caught the slight pause between Deeks and Barrett as they quickly glanced at each other. Both took off running towards the house, weapons drawn.

Abby gasped. McGee, Bishop and DiNozzo all had worried looks on their faces.

"Something's up. Whatever is going down, it happened sooner than they expected," Sam suggested. Hetty and Granger shared a quick glance before turning back to their screen.

Just a few minutes later, a car slid to a stop in front of the home. A man got out and ran to the front of the house holding something in his hand. Everyone watched as the man tossed whatever it was through the front window, jumped back in the car and drove away at a high rate of speed.

"What the hell did he just do?" Director Vance wondered out loud.

It didn't take long for them all to realize what had just happened as smoke began drifting out of the shattered window at the front of the house.

"Oh no! Marty? Agent Barrett? Gibbs, do something!" Abby exclaimed as flames began rolling out of the window. The smoke grew thicker with each passing second.

Bishop, along with McGee, DiNozzo, Ducky and Palmer, stood in disbelief as they watched the events in Loreto unfold in front of them.

Gibbs ignored the comments and stayed focused on the screen, his confidence in his friends' abilities keeping him calm.

"Oh my God, Deeks! Kensi! Get out of there!" Nell shouted back in LA.

Eric had a panicked look on his face as he turned to each of the people in Ops with him. Granger stood stock still, his jaw clenched as he stared at the feed. Hetty's hands were clasped tightly as she, too, focused solely on the screen. Sam and Callen glanced at each other, both shaking their heads in worry as they watched helplessly.

* * *

It felt like time had almost crept to a halt; the roar of the fire quieted, fingers of bright orange, yellow, and red dancing in slow motion up the wall and across the ceiling. The four of them sat mesmerized by the flames. Suddenly, the window they had eyed as a possible escape route just moments before blew out in an impressive shower of glass shards, billowing smoke and fire from the now vacant window frame. It was enough to bring them all out of the daze they had been in. The heat was becoming unbearable and the smoke was starting to burn their eyes and throats.

"There's a window in the bathroom!" Deeks pointed to the room he had cleared when he and Fornell had rushed up the stairs earlier.

He pushed Kensi towards it, EJ and Tobias right on their heels. Deeks yanked the door open and let everyone inside, then quickly pulled the door closed behind them. There was less smoke in here and the heat wasn't as intense with the door shut. Kensi tried opening the window. It was stuck, layers of paint holding the frame in place.

"Dammit!" She hollered in frustration.

* * *

What seemed an eternity, but in reality was just seconds later, the teams from DC and LA were encouraged when a police car flew past the house, giving chase to the car that held the man who had just set the house holding their friends ablaze. A second police vehicle, this one a Jeep, jumped the curb and bounced to a stop in the yard right up next to the house. Two officers scrambled from it and began looking at the back of the house, pointing as they discussed the situation.

The teams' views were becoming obscured. Flames and smoke were now visible in several spots at the front and sides of the old two story structure. It was quickly becoming engulfed, the accelerant used to start the fire aiding in the destruction. Most of the smoke was drifting up and over the home, blocking the camera on the borrowed satellite miles above. Soon, though, the view changed slowly as it was repositioned. Now the back of the home was in full view. In the middle of the second story wall was a small window.

* * *

"Here! Wrap your hand in this and break it out," EJ pulled a small, grimy hand towel off the rack next to the sink, shoving it towards Kensi.

Her lips squeezed tight, Kensi's brow furrowed as she quickly wrapped her hand as best she could. She turned her face away from the window and swung her hand at it, shattering the old glass with ease. She switched her stance and quickly knocked all the loose pieces out of the frame. Having done that, she unfurled the towel and shook it off.

She turned to the others. "Let's go!"

EJ insisted that Kensi go first since she was closest to the window. Nodding, Kensi pulled herself out the opening. She was now standing on the small flat roof over the back of the house. She spun and helped EJ out next. Both women were relieved to see Officer Zarazua and another officer motioning for them to come towards them.

"Go! I'll make sure the guys get out!" Kensi pushed EJ towards the waiting men on the ground.

* * *

"Look! Somebody just broke out that back window!" Abby shouted anxiously. "Ooooh, please let it be Marty and the others!" She shook her hands in the air, fanning herself as she watched wide eyed at the scene unfolding before them.

"It's Kensi!" Nell pointed as her friend climbed out onto the roof.

Granger snuck a peek at the red haired analyst as she bobbed up and down on her toes. He glanced at Hetty then, both of them smiling slightly.

"Here comes EJ," Tony said, somewhat relieved as it appeared their colleagues were going to be in the clear.

They watched as Agent Barrett jumped from the rooftop to the Jeep, and then to the ground with the assistance of the officers. Fornell and Deeks were still inside. Fire was quickly spreading through the attic and out the peak of the roof at either end of the second floor now. Everyone held their breath as they watched Agent Blye lean back in the window she had just pulled EJ through. Light smoke could be seen wafting out slowly above her. The relief all had felt quickly died.

"Come on, Tobias. You and Marty need to get the hell out of there," Gibbs whispered as his confidence wavered.

* * *

"Go ahead," Deeks motioned to the window.

Tobias grinned, "Oh, no. You go. I insist, Marty."

Deeks smirked, shaking his head. "Age before beauty, Agent Fornell."

The room was slowly filling with smoke and the temperature was climbing. Neither paid much attention as they bantered back and forth.

Fornell grimaced. "That was a low blow, detecti-"

"Guys! Shut the hell up and move. In case you hadn't noticed, the house is burning down around us!" Kensi shouted at them as she leaned back inside. She couldn't believe they were arguing over who would leave next.

They both turned to her, surprised by her outburst. It had the desired effect, though, as the older agent realized how hot it was getting. Sweat rolled off his brow, and as he wiped it quickly, he couldn't resist one more jab.

"You win, Deeks. I'm outta here. I hope your hair doesn't combust!" He grinned as Kensi helped him through the window.

Deeks laughed, but ran his hands through his hair protectively as the agent disappeared out the window. It _was_ getting rather hot now that he thought about it. Taking a breath at just the wrong time, he sucked in a huge gulp of smoke. His eyes teared up and he started to cough uncontrollably.

* * *

After an uncomfortable period of time, Kensi finally pulled Tobias out of the window. The DC group let out a collective sigh as the LA team watched for Deeks to follow him out. Kensi led Fornell to the edge of the roof and waited for him to work up the nerve to jump.

"Where the hell is Deeks?" Granger asked, his voice full of worry.

The assistant director's concern didn't go unnoticed by the rest of them in Ops as Callen glanced at Sam and back to the screen. Nell covered her mouth as she watched the window, hoping to see their shaggy haired detective pop through it any second.

* * *

Kensi sighed in relief when Fornell was back on solid ground. Assuming Deeks was right behind her, Kensi called out over her shoulder that she was going to jump down next, knowing that Deeks would insist she go first anyway. When her partner didn't reply, she turned around and was shocked when he wasn't there.

"Deeks?" She looked to the window. Smoke was now pouring out around the top of the frame and curling up over the eave. No sign of her partner. "Deeks!" She ran across the roof to the window, terrified that Deeks hadn't made it out on his own. "Deeks!" She screamed in the window, covering her mouth to avoid breathing in the smoke.

Inside, Deeks gasped for breath as he fought to stop coughing. His eyes were watering like mad and his throat felt like it, too, was on fire. Hearing his partner screaming his name, he moved in the direction of her voice. At this point it was a losing battle to keep his eyes opened against the stinging tears. He could hear the house succumbing to the fire on the other side of the door, loud pops as the dry wood was consumed by the flames. He desperately tried to keep his eyes open long enough to find the window. Kensi kept calling his name, he could hear the panic in her voice.

She was going to give him two more seconds. If he didn't show, she was going in after him. They had come too far for her to lose him now. He had to be just inside, the room wasn't that big. She was about to climb back in when he suddenly appeared in front of her.

"Deeks! I'm right here! Come on. I got you!" She grabbed him by the shirt and literally dragged him through the opening. She led him away from the window.

He collapsed on the rooftop, curling into the fetal position as he gasped and coughed. Being in the fresh air helped tremendously. It wasn't long before he was able to get his breathing under control. He rolled over on his back and wiped at his eyes. Finally, he was able to focus. Seeing his partner standing over him with a worried look on her face, he grinned up at her.

"That was a little too close for comfort, eh Fern?" He held his hand out for her to help him stand.

She grimaced, holding her hands up as if surrendering. She was happy that he was okay, but pissed that he and Fornell had wasted what precious little time they had to get out. "You're an idiot!" She stomped towards the edge of the roof.

Deeks rolled over and got to his feet, going after her. "Oh come on! Don't be like that! Princess? Kensi?"

* * *

The teams in DC and LA watched as Agent Blye stood at the window, clearly hollering for her partner. Eventually she pulled him out onto the roof. Relieved that he was out, they were still concerned as he curled up on his side. Once he rolled to his back, they all breathed a little easier. They watched as he held his hand up to Kensi, clearly wanting her assistance. When she refused to help and stalked away from him, everyone knew he must be okay.

Director Vance looked to everyone in MTAC, ending with Gibbs. He smiled and nodded at the man before turning and heading for the door. Gibbs chuckled as he turned one last time to the satellite feed on the screen.

Hetty and Granger exchanged relieved looks before turning to the rest of the team in Ops.

Hetty smiled at her team. "Drinks, anyone?"

 _ **TBC**_

 ** _Author's note: I'd like to thank honus47, nherbie, RhondaLara_** , _**CoastalReader, MJ2709, Hoosier65, fanficforyou, and the guests who left reviews for the previous chapter. I have one chapter left. Thanks to everyone who stuck with me through this one. I know I struggled to post regularly. I think this will be my last multi-chapter story for a while. I do have some other ideas in mind and look forward to sharing them with you.**_


	22. Chapter 22

**Season of Renewal**

 **Disclaimer: I own nothing, just borrowing. Time to give them back...**

 _Author's note: Finally, the epilogue. It's been too long, I know. I apologize. Thanks to nherbie for several ideas that I mashed together to finish this thing. It's possible this would still be languishing on my computer had it not been for them._

 **Chapter 22/Epilogue**

The teams in Ops and MTAC bid their goodbyes. Nell thanked her contact for his assistance with the satellite. The last image either team saw on the screen was of the fire department arriving on scene. They were updated later that Deeks was fine, having suffered some minor smoke inhalation. Also, thanks to Officer Zarazua and his men, Javier Hernandez's remaining muscle was taken down. The man who had thrown the incendiary device through the front window had been apprehended a few blocks away. He crashed his car during his attempt to flee.

* * *

As soon as the paramedic cleared him, Deeks left the ambulance and located the others. They were speaking with Officer Zarazua and a few of his men when they saw Deeks approaching.

"Martin, you are okay?" Officer Zarazua questioned the detective hopefully.

Deeks smiled and nodded. He turned to Kensi. "You're up, partner. Let them check that bruise out."

Kensi shook her head. "I'm good. It was a glancing blow, it'll heal quickly," she claimed as she ran her fingers over the tender spot on her cheek.

Deeks smirked, nodding his head. "I figured as much." He turned, giving a thumbs-up to the medic standing at the back of the ambulance. The man smiled in return, then looked to see if he could be of help elsewhere.

"Z-man, I can't thank you enough for what you did," Deeks pulled the officer into a hug, and then shook the man's hand.

"I'm glad we could help, Martin. Eva would be proud." Both men shared a long look, nodding slightly as they reflected back on their mutual friend.

"You need anything else from us?" Fornell asked of the officer.

Officer Zarazua glanced at the four Americans, then to his men. Turning back to Tobias, "No, sir. We are good here. You should get going."

The four walked down the street to their Jeep. Deeks climbed in the driver's seat, but this time Kensi rode up front with him, while EJ and Tobias shared the rear. It was a mostly quiet ride back to the safe house. Kensi kept sneaking glances at her partner and then back at Fornell.

EJ caught the furtive glances from the brunette agent and decided to say something. "What's on your mind there, Kensi?"

"Oh, uh...nothing. Just trying to understand how two grown men could stand in a smoke filled room and argue about who would escape first," she explained sarcastically.

Deeks' eyes widened and he glanced up in the rearview to meet Tobias' innocent expression.

Before Deeks could say anything, Fornell exclaimed, "It wasn't like that-"

"That's exactly what it was like! You two should have been right out that window behind EJ and me!" She turned to Deeks. "And you should have followed right out after Tobias when I came back for you both! What were you doing?"

Deeks kept his eyes focused on the street, his lips pursed as he thought about her question. As he steered the Jeep into the driveway of their safe house, he turned to Kensi. "Oh, look! We're home!" He threw the Jeep in park, killed the engine and jumped out; not waiting for the grief he knew was still coming from his partner, he ran for the front door.

"Deeks!" Kensi huffed out a sigh and ran after him, leaving the two agents in the back of the Jeep.

EJ looked at Fornell, an amused expression coming over her. Tobias just shook his head, a grin on his face as he met EJ's look before glancing at Kensi as she entered the house.

"I'm going to miss working with those two. Never a dull moment with them around," Tobias commented genuinely.

EJ smiled at his words as she, too, glanced towards the house. "Yeah, they are fun. And really good at what they do. I would love to have them on a team on a permanent basis."

Fornell chuckled. "Well, unless you plan on moving to LA, I wouldn't make any bets on that ever happening. Henrietta Lange will make sure of that."

By the time EJ and Tobias made it into the house after unloading all their gear, Deeks and Kensi were caught again in the middle of a PDA session - this one brought on by Deeks kissing her to shut her up. Fornell glanced at EJ, grinning from ear to ear at the display taking place before them.

"Well, I'm glad you two seem to be able to kiss and make up so quickly," EJ announced loudly as the two from LA seemed oblivious that they now had company in the room with them.

Deeks released the hold he had on his partner's waist as she jumped back from him guiltily, the look on her face priceless. Deeks just laughed while Kensi glanced at EJ and Tobias.

"Sorry! I, we...um-" she stammered as she ran a hand through her hair.

"It's okay, Kensi. I get it," EJ offered.

"Yeah? Well, apparently we are stopping _them_ from getting _it,_ " Fornell added with a straight face. When everyone looked at him in surprise, he couldn't help but laugh, too.

Kensi turned to leave the room. "I'm getting out of these clothes. I need a shower!"

Deeks' brow raised. "I like the sound of that, partner!"

"You two need to get a room!" Fornell exclaimed.

"Yeah, I'm thinking maybe I'll take the couch tonight," EJ added, a smirk on her face.

With a mortified look, Kensi stopped and faced the three jokesters. When her eyes met Deeks', she saw the unmistakable gleam in them and knew he was about to say something even more inappropriate. She held up a finger in warning, shaking her head slowly, "Deeeeeks. Don't even think about it!"

He pursed his lips, cocking his head to the side slightly, "Yeah, um...too late!" He smiled brightly.

Kensi huffed out a breath, dropping her head in embarrassment and turning quickly as she headed to her room. Sighing in relief once she was clear of the others, she searched through her bag for a change of clothes. She cringed when EJ wandered into the room. Bracing herself for more harassment from the agent, she was surprised when none came. Slowly, she glanced at the other woman. EJ had her back to her. It appeared she was digging around in her own bag. Kensi went back to rearranging her bag, thankful for the silence.

"I'm happy that you two seem to be patching things up," EJ said with a genuine tone.

Kensi paused, waiting for the punch line. When none was forthcoming, she spun around to face the other woman. Her eyes met EJ's. She could tell the woman was being sincere. "Thank you," Kensi replied, still somewhat skeptical.

"I realize I haven't known him long, but Deeks seems to be a great guy. He is totally devoted to you."

Kensi's expression softened as she took in what EJ had said. "Yeah, I know," Kensi almost whispered, nodding in agreement.

EJ smiled, but it didn't reach her eyes. She took a step towards the brunette. "Don't screw it up again." EJ moved past Kensi and left the stunned woman standing there.

It took a few moments for Kensi to recover. When she did, she shook her head as if to clear out the memory that EJ's comment had brought to light again. She stared at the door where EJ had disappeared moments before, "I won't," she whispered, then headed off to get her shower.

Once Kensi was done, the rest of them took their turn washing the stench of the day off. Tobias bid them all a good night as he retired for the evening. It wasn't long before EJ did the same, leaving Kensi and Deeks on the couch.

Deeks was expecting another round of grief from his partner. He could feel her there next to him on the couch, felt her gaze. He knew she wanted to say something. He pondered what it was that had changed from earlier. She was very quiet now and it unsettled him somewhat.

Kensi kept glancing at her partner out of the corner of her eye. EJ's warning kept playing over and over in her head, and try as she might, she just didn't have it in her to give him anymore grief about the lack of urgency it appeared he and Tobias displayed earlier. It had hit her really hard when she realized Deeks wasn't out of the house yet. The fear she felt at that moment that she had lost him again had coursed through her, and anger was the only way she was able to deal with it at the time. Now that she had time to calm down, especially after EJ's warning, she was just happy that the mission was over. All she wanted was to go home. Back to Los Angeles. With her partner. Her everything. She didn't know if she'd ever be able to make Deeks understand how sorry she was for everything that had taken place since right before Christmas. That seemed almost like a lifetime ago - and in some ways, she supposed it really had been.

"Deeks."

He turned and met her gaze. "Kensi." One brow ticked upwards as he waited for her to continue.

"I know I've already said this, Deeks, but I can't say it enough. I'm, uh...I'm so... _so_ sorry for everything you've been through and I-"

"Kensi," Deeks interrupted his partner, "it's okay. We're good. We _are_ good, right?" He waited for her acknowledgment, his eyes wide with anticipation. She nodded at him. "Okay then. It's in the past. Apology accepted. Let's focus on the future and moving forward - a new beginning. Sound like a plan there, partner?"

Kensi smiled at him shyly, blowing out a breath slowly. "Sounds like a plan," she agreed with a whisper. She took his hand in hers and pulled him up. "Come on. I'm tired. Let's go to bed."

The next morning, EJ stretched as she awoke. Throwing the sheet off and standing, she stopped dead in her tracks when she noticed the two bodies in the bed on the other side of the room. A grin spread across her face as she took in the sight of the detective and agent from LA. Deeks' personal space was being grossly violated by his partner. EJ was touched by how young and relaxed Agent Blye looked. Having witnessed first hand the fury and strength exhibited by the female agent, to see her at rest cuddled against her partner was a night and day difference. Kensi was partially on her side. Her upper body, however, rested on Deeks' chest with her head tucked just under his chin, an arm thrown across his stomach and a leg curled up over his. Likewise, Deeks had an arm around Kensi's shoulders, holding her in place against him. They both looked so content. EJ couldn't help but be a bit envious of the two. She sighed as she walked past them and out to the kitchen.

"Good morning," Tobias greeted EJ as she sauntered over to grab a cup of coffee. He sat at the small kitchen table.

"Morning, Tobias."

"The lovebirds didn't put on a show for you last night, did they?"

Barrett laughed out loud at the remark before shaking her head. "No, not that I was aware of, anyway."

Tobias smiled, nodding. "I've made our flight arrangements. Officer Zarazua offered that we go ahead and take the Jeep and he'd pick it up later. If those two don't get up soon, we're gonna have to wake them. We leave in two hours."

Shortly after Tobias and EJ's conversation, Kensi and Deeks both appeared in the kitchen. The four of them chatted as they had coffee and ate some breakfast. They loaded all their belongings in the Jeep and headed for the airport.

* * *

"Ms. Blye and Mr. Deeks, along with Agents Fornell and Barrett, are on their way back to DC as we speak." Hetty advised the team in Ops.

Sam shook his head. "I still don't understand why they have to go the entire way back east. They could have held their debriefing from here. Fornell and Barrett could have come here, too, and then flown home after. How soon can we expect them back?" Sam questioned.

Callen smirked as he studied his partner, his brow raised as Sam spoke his mind. "Easy there, big guy. They'll be back soon enough."

"Indeed, Mr. Callen," Hetty agreed with her team leader. She turned to Sam, "Patience Mr. Hanna. I have it on good authority that they will return to Los Angeles sometime tomorrow. You shouldn't expect to see them here for a few days, however. I've sent word to Leon to let them know they can take the rest of the week to settle back in before they return to work."

"I'm just glad they are done with the mission and they are all safe! Including Agent Gibbs' team," Nell interjected, with Eric nodding his agreement of her statement.

Sam and Callen both looked to Granger, who had up until this point stood silently in the background listening to the exchange.

When he noticed the pair of senior agents eyeing him, he returned their stare. "You two have something on your mind?"

Sam and Callen glanced at each other quickly before returning their focus on the assistant director. Callen finally broke the awkward silence. "Is there something you want to tell us about Kensi and Deeks?"

Granger remained expressionless as he replied, "No. I think Henrietta pretty much covered it, Callen. Why do you ask?"

A puzzled look came over Callen and it took all Granger had in him to keep a straight face.

"Come on, G. Let's head down to the gym," Sam suggested to his partner as he glared at the assistant director.

With a final glance towards Granger, Callen turned and followed Sam out.

Hetty looked up to the assistant director and shook her head, but she couldn't quite hide the grin curling at the corners of her mouth.

* * *

With their flight arriving ahead of schedule and light traffic between the airport and Navy Yard, it made for a quick trip for the four travelling back from Loreto. It was late in the afternoon, but Gibbs and Director Vance wanted to get the debriefing done. As the four exited the elevator, they were waiting for Gibbs' team to greet them, but all three agents' desks were empty. Kensi and Deeks followed Tobias and EJ up to the director's office. Fornell held the door for them as they filed in one at a time. Gibbs stood in front of the director's desk, looking each one of them in the eyes. He stopped when he got to Fornell, who was now the last in line. Gibbs expected his friend to have something to say about how this all went down. He smirked when he caught the irritated glare the FBI agent gave him.

"Tobias."

"Jethro."

Gibbs continued to stare at his friend, his brow raised as he waited for Fornell to say something, a playful grin still on his face.

When Fornell finally broke the silence, he took everyone by surprise. "When I agreed to follow this mission through, I had no idea how it would go." Fornell shot each of the three people with him a quick glance. "I had my doubts early on when you pitched the idea of working with these two until I read their files." He nodded towards Kensi and Deeks, locking eyes with the detective. "Marty, I don't know how the hell you did it, you crazy bastard. And I still think you're a stubborn son of a bitch just like Gibbs here, too," he added as he turned back to Jethro, "but if I had it to do again, I wouldn't settle for anyone else. That goes for Agent Barrett and Agent Blye, as well. It was a pleasure. I don't think we'd have gotten the same results otherwise."

No one said anything. Gibbs again made eye contact with the two from LA and Agent Barrett before focusing on his friend again. Still a hint of a smile on his face, Gibbs knew that was quite the comment his buddy just threw out there. He nodded once, slowly, then chuckled as a big grin replaced the smile.

Director Vance approached the group to congratulate everyone on their successful operation, and also welcome them back. When he came to the LAPD detective, he held out his hand.

"Detective Deeks, it's good to see you've recovered. You scared the hell out of us."

"Thanks. I'm uh-" Deeks glanced towards his partner, then back, "I'm feeling much better," as he shook Vance's offered hand.

Director Vance smiled knowingly. "Glad to hear it, detective."

Just then, there was another knock at the door. Gibbs walked over and opened it to find Henriqua standing there nervously. Gibbs motioned for her to join them.

When Vance saw the woman enter, he suggested they get the debriefing over with.

An hour later, the debrief complete, Henriqua bid her goodbye, insisting she had a flight to catch yet that night. Deeks and Kensi shared a glance, wondering if her continued nervousness and rush to leave was due the fact she knew she now had to face Hetty.

"Agent Blye, Detective Deeks, Henrietta wanted me to pass along to you she doesn't expect to see you back to work until Monday." Director Vance smiled as the two absorbed this new bit of information. Before either could comment, Jethro addressed them.

"There's a few people waiting downstairs to see you four," Gibbs stated.

They all smiled and started for the door. Vance and Gibbs followed them out, but stood at the balcony while the others descended the stairs. A loud round of applause broke out as the four haggard looking souls made their way down to the group standing by Tony's desk. Abby, Jimmy and Dr. Mallard stood with McGee, DiNozzo and Bishop. Both teams converged on one another and everyone started speaking at the same time. Gibbs and Vance watched on until the initial chatter quieted down.

Abby, who was excited that they were all safe, was most intent on seeing Marty. She wanted to see for herself that he was healed from his wounds suffered that day back in December. Now nearly halfway through February, she was hoping to see a marked improvement in him. She was also very curious as to whether or not he and Kensi had had any time at all to work on their issues. She finally grabbed Deeks and gave him a big hug. Deeks glanced to Kensi as he returned the embrace. To his surprise, Kensi nodded slightly and smiled. Even more surprising, when Abby pulled away from Deeks, she turned to Kensi and pulled her into a hug as well. Deeks couldn't help but grin at the startled look on Kensi's face as she eventually hugged the forensic scientist back.

Vance and Gibbs glanced at each other, both chuckling as they moved to join the others. By the time they made it down the stairs, Abby had hugged EJ and Fornell, as well, not wanting anyone to feel left out.

Director Vance pulled up short of the group as Gibbs approached them. He still wanted to speak with Detective Deeks. He waited for another round of discussion to break out. As soon as it did, he took the opportunity with everyone being distracted to pull Deeks off to the side. The detective looked a bit startled.

"Relax, _detective_ ," Leon smiled before continuing, "I don't have to remind you that we are all anxious for you to make this official, do I?"

Realizing Deeks was gone, Kensi turned quickly, only to find her partner standing with the director. Not wanting to be obvious, she still couldn't help but watch with great curiosity. Just far enough away and talking quietly, she couldn't hear what was being said - but by reading his lips, she caught the tail end of Vance's question about making something official.

Deeks pursed his lips, thinking. "No. No, you don't," he finally answered.

With Deeks turned far enough away from her, she couldn't get a read on his response. She kept watch closely, not wanting the director to make eye contact with her.

"How long do you intend to make us wait?" Leon asked curiously.

Kensi swallowed hard. Director Vance was pushing Deeks to become an agent. She hoped Deeks didn't feel like he was being put on the spot.

Deeks grinned, cocking his head, meeting the director's stare head on. "My partner is watching us, isn't she? She's very adept at reading lips."

His eyes never wavering from Deeks', Vance smiled. "Yes. I see that, detective. I understand."

"I'm ready to make it official, sir. But I don't want to let my team know just yet. I want to surprise them, and I need to talk to my boss, Lt. Bates, at LAPD."

Kensi continued to watch the director. What he said next sent her senses reeling.

"I'll deal with Bates, Henrietta and your paperwork. I'll put a rush on it. Gibbs will be happy to hear you've made your decision. We look forward to having you here at NCIS, Marty," Vance nodded and reached out to shake Deeks' hand for the second time today.

Kensi's eyes widened as she sucked in a breath. What the hell was Deeks doing, she wondered. Her mind raced and her legs felt weak. Had he just agreed to join Gibbs' team?

Deeks took the director's hand in his and shook it. "You realize she's going to kill me now, right? Although, I do appreciate the assist in stirring it up." He smiled at the director, enjoying the fact that the man had a sense of humor.

"I promise that you won't regret making the switch. I'm sure she will understand." The director's grin grew even bigger as he patted Deeks on the shoulder, then turned and headed back upstairs.

Deeks shook his head slowly in disbelief as what the director had just done set in. He chuckled, ran a hand through his hair as he took a deep breath, then turned to join the others.

Kensi tried to act as if she hadn't been trying to eavesdrop on her partner, but the shock at what she thought she had just witnessed was clearly on her face.

"Everything okay there, partner?" Deeks asked her nonchalantly. "You look a little pale."

"Oh! Yeah," she laughed, "I'm just really...um, I'm just tired. Aren't you?" She caught his gaze, trying to act as if nothing was wrong.

"Yeah, actually I am."

She nodded, wanting to say more, but didn't. They both rejoined the group and continued to visit with the others. Eventually, they all said their goodbyes. Gibbs pulled Fornell, Deeks, Kensi and EJ aside as the others left for the evening. Gibbs noticed Barrett watching Tony as he entered the elevator.

"He's doing well, Barrett." Gibbs stated calmly, knowing that the two had a bit of history.

EJ acknowledged Gibbs' comment with a slight smile and nod.

Gibbs turned to Deeks, then Kensi. His brow raised after a moment, a questioning gaze appearing as he continued to look at them both. They glanced at each other, feeling a little uncomfortable being scrutinized by the man. It suddenly dawned on Deeks what Gibbs was waiting for.

"We're...um, we're good," Deeks cocked his head towards Kensi.

Gibbs smirked, focusing on Kensi now.

Still worried from the conversation her partner had with the director, it took Kensi longer to catch on. When she realized what Deeks meant when he replied to Gibbs' questioning stare, she agreed, "Yeah. All good here," she smiled as she took a step closer to Deeks' side.

Gibbs nodded once. "It's about time."

Fornell and Barrett both laughed at the look Deeks and Kensi had on their faces in reaction to Gibbs' quip.

"I don't know about you guys, but I could use a drink," Tobias hinted.

"I definitely could!" EJ replied emphatically.

Gibbs agreed. Fornell turned to Deeks and Kensi. "What about you two?"

The partners shared a quick glance, both trying to get a read on what the other was thinking.

"Sure, why not?" Kensi stammered just as Deeks replied "I think we'll pass." Immediately, they both replied again with the others previous answer. Again, they glanced at each other, frustration clear on their faces.

Gibbs, Fornell and Barrett just smiled as they waited for the couple to figure out what they were doing.

Kensi continued to stare down her partner as they had some sort of silent conversation. Deeks finally turned to the other three, "We're going to pass on the offer. But thanks for asking. I think we're going to-"

"Get a room!" Tobias and EJ interrupted Deeks in unison.

Gibbs chuckled as Deeks pursed his lips, his brow raised as he looked at his partner. Kensi suddenly found the floor very interesting as she tried to hide the blush reddening her cheeks.

After saying their final thanks and goodbyes, Deeks and Kensi indeed headed off to their hotel room for a final night away from home. Gibbs escorted Barrett and Fornell back to his house, where they went straight for the basement and a bottle of bourbon.

* * *

The next morning, Kensi and Deeks met up with James. Once again, Hetty had arranged for her friend's private jet to bring the partners back to LA. Happy greetings were exchanged. James was glad to see that Marty and his partner, Kensi, seemed to be working things out. It was clear to him, once seeing the two together, that they were completely smitten. After flying the LA team out to the DC area to be with Deeks after he was wounded, James had worried about the detective. He was very relieved to see that Deeks had made a complete recovery from what could have been fatal injuries.

As they boarded the jet, James waited for the pair to sit.

"Buckle up, kids," James joked. "Once we level off, feel free to do as you please. The mini fridge is stocked and you have several hours of uninterrupted travel ahead. I'll be right up here if you need anything." He nodded over his shoulder to the cockpit with a grin on his face.

"Thanks, man!" Deeks replied cheerily. Kensi smiled as James turned and disappeared up front, closing the door between the cockpit and cabin.

Twenty minutes later, as the jet banked to the west and leveled off, Kensi noticed Deeks out of the corner of her eye. She turned to him, catching the mischievous look dancing in his eyes. After spending much of last night proving to her partner just how much he meant to her, the look he was giving her right now left no doubt in her mind what he was thinking.

Deeks glanced from Kensi to the couch behind them and back to her. A grin spread across his face.

"What?" Kensi questioned, knowing full well what. Her pulse was already quickening as she waited for him to answer.

"We have several hours to ourselves. His exact words were 'feel free to do as you please'."

Kensi smirked, "Yeah, I was sitting right here, Deeks. I heard him. What do you want to do?" A shiver ran through her as her mind raced with all the possibilities.

"I've always wanted to join the mile high club, Sunshine. What better opportunity than right now?"

She slowly unbuckled her seat belt as Deeks followed suit. With a smile on both their faces, they moved from their seats towards the couch along the side of the cabin.

As the jet soared across the sky, James smiled when he caught the passionate sounds filtering through the door. As he maneuvered the plane through some turbulence, his passengers continued to make some of their own. He chuckled to himself. They were definitely working things out.

Deeks and Kensi arrived in LA early afternoon. Saying goodbye to James, they walked inside as he stayed behind with the plane. To their surprise, Hetty had arranged for transportation for them from the airport, as well. Agreeing to meet up later, Kensi was dropped off at her place. Deeks sat in the car when it pulled up outside his apartment, staring at the walk to his front door. He thought back to December; when he left, and why. Blowing out a breath, he opened the door and climbed out, thanking the driver. As he stood at his door, he thought back over last night. He slid his key in the lock, a smile appearing as he thought about how persuasive Kensi had been. Any reservations that may have lingered in his mind whether they could make it work or not were gone. Sure, they'd still have disagreements. He would more than likely continue to annoy her, and she would continue to be her independent, stubborn self. They had settled some things between them, and not just on an intimate level - although that was achieved, too. Numerous times.

Deeks dropped his bag on the floor and sat on his couch. Flipping the TV on, he got up and began unpacking. Kensi would be there soon.

* * *

The following Monday came much sooner than either Kensi or Deeks would have liked. The last few days had been spent together. There were movies, Top Model reruns, takeout and beer. Sexy times. Serious times. Finally giving in to her worry and frustration over what Deeks and the director had talked about, she decided to coerce her partner into giving a full confession. Turns out a sexy, teasing Kensi can get pretty much anything she wants from her shaggy detective, with much more ease than violence or threats ever could. She locked that little tidbit away for future use. It was a win-win situation for them both as far as she was concerned.

Deciding to ride in together, they climbed in her SRX and headed for the Mission.

"Are we going to tell them yet?" Kensi asked.

"Do you think we should, or let them figure it out on their own?"

She shrugged. She really didn't much care one way or the other anymore. Deeks was back in LA. Nothing else mattered to her at this point. She told him as much. He smiled and nodded.

"You think they'll be happy about my career change?"

Kensi turned to look at him quickly before focusing her attention on the road again. "Of course they will!"

It wasn't long before she pulled in to her spot. Sam's Challenger was already there. She shut the car off and turned to Deeks. "Welcome back, partner. You ready to do this?"

Deeks pursed his lips and ran his hand through his hair once. Meeting her gaze, he smiled. "Yeah. I am."

As they headed for the door, she bumped him with her hip playfully. He returned the gesture with a grin.

Up in Ops, Nell and Eric had been watching for the pair to show up. Nell squealed like a little girl when she saw the familiar SRX pull into its parking spot. "OOOH, there's Kensi! Is he with her? Oh, I hope Deeks is with her!" When she saw both doors open, she gave in to her excitement. "There he is! Deeks is back! And look, she just hip bumped him. Look at the smiles on their faces!" She was jumping up and down while Eric watched his partner go a little crazy.

"I can see that, Nell! You're not at all happy about it, are you?" He grinned.

"Shut it, Beale. A girl can get excited about her friends returning, can't she?"

"Of course she can," he agreed, pushing his glasses up and watching the monitor as the two partners entered the Mission for the first time in many weeks.

In the bullpen, Sam and Callen talked quietly. Both were still apprehensive about the return of their junior agent and liaison, feeling as if they'd been kept in the dark about their future with the team. Earlier that morning, just as they were approaching the entrance to the parking lot, Sam swore it looked like Lieutenant Bates leaving in an unmarked car. That only bolstered their worry.

"I wonder how this is going to go." Callen said softly as he glanced to Hetty's desk, where she and Granger sat motionless.

"I don't know, G. But I'm ready to fight for them. No matter the reason, I'm not letting them go without a fight, I'm tellin' you." Sam said with conviction.

Callen nodded, then turned when Kensi and Deeks stepped from the tunnel to stop between Sam and Kensi's desks. The pair stood shoulder to shoulder, watching the reaction on the senior agents' faces.

Callen looked to Sam, their eyes met and then both looked slowly to the returning partners.

"Hey guys!" Kensi broke the silence with a smile.

"Sam. Callen." Deeks nodded at them. Neither he nor Kensi missed the glance the two shared, or how _confused_ the two looked. It was not the reception either of them expected.

Feeling a bit awkward, Deeks glanced over his shoulder towards Hetty's desk. Assistant Director Granger and Hetty were sitting there watching the four team members. Hetty nodded slightly towards Deeks when their eyes met. He smirked, nodding back. There was only one way to fix things now, and that was by shaking things up.

Callen stood up, but stayed behind his desk. "Welcome back, guys," was his cool greeting, a concerned look still on his face.

Sam stood up and hugged Kensi, then put a hand on Deeks' shoulder. "It's good to see you, Deeks. How you feeling?"

"Good. Feeling good. Great even."

Before anyone else could say anything, Nell and Eric came flying down the stairs. Nell all but jumped into Deeks' arms, hugging him tightly. "Welcome back, Shaggy!"

"Thanks, Velma!" Deeks laughed as he sat her back on her feet.

"Kensi, it's so good to see you!" Nell turned to the brunette agent, pulling her into a spine crunching hug, as well, while Eric spoke with Deeks.

While all this was going on, no one noticed Hetty and Granger approaching. When the Wonder Twins settled down, Hetty cleared her throat to gather everyone's attention. The room grew eerily quiet. Granger glanced at each of the six people standing before him, stopping when he reached Deeks.

"It's good to see you, detective." Granger stuck his hand out. Deeks shook it slowly, nodding to him.

"So good to see you, Mr. Deeks. You as well, Ms. Blye. I'm glad you both made it back safely," Hetty said with a serious tone. She, too, looked at each of the others standing there.

Sam and Callen were bracing for the worst. The tension kept building as Eric and Nell now realized something was amiss.

Granger faced the crowd. "Detective Deeks has an announcement to make. I want you all to keep quiet until he's finished. Is that clear?"

Again, Sam and Callen glanced at each other. Neither were happy. Nell and Eric just looked shell shocked. They didn't know what was happening, but it couldn't be good judging by the looks on everyone's faces.

Deeks looked around the room, then to Kensi. She nodded for him to go ahead. He blew out a breath, then turned to the senior agents and the twins. "I've done a lot of thinking while I was away. Kens and I both have," he cocked his head towards his partner. "I uh, I really enjoyed working with Gibbs' team when I was in DC. Tim, Tony, Abby, just everyone there made me feel so welcome, you know? Not that I'm not welcome here, but-"

"Deeks, come on man. Don't do this to us!" Sam interrupted.

"Agent Hanna, I believe I said to let the man speak his mind before you comment, did I not?" Granger growled.

Sam scowled, but held his tongue.

"As I was saying, I've given this a lot of thought. Isn't that right, Kens?" She tipped her head in agreement, a slight smile appearing. "Working with those guys was great. Agent Fornell, Agent Barrett," Deeks turned and looked at Hetty, "Henriqua," he added with a smirk. Hetty shook her head, rolling her eyes. "I've made up my mind, guys. I have resigned from my position as liaison officer for this office."

Nell gasped, while Eric's eyes bugged out in surprise.

Callen shook his head and glared at Granger before turning to Kensi. "Are you quitting, too, Kens? You are, aren't you?" He asked accusatorily.

She shook her head adamantly, "What? No!"

Sam slammed his hand down on his desk top. "I knew it. You're splitting them up, aren't you, Granger? You just couldn't leave it alone, and now you've cost us a brother!"

Deeks decided he'd better come clean before heads rolled. "Guys!" He held a hand up to get their attention, both Sam and Callen going at Granger while Eric and Nell were comforting each other. No one listened. "Guys, hey! Stop! Just stop and let me finish, okay?" He shouted exasperatedly. When they all shut up and looked at him, he smirked. "I didn't know I was so loved guys, really. It, it hits me _right here_." He made a show of patting his chest over his heart.

"You think this is a joke, Deeks? This is our team, _your_ team we're talking about here. You belong with us, you hear me?" Sam replied.

Deeks schooled his expression. "Well I'm glad you feel that way, Sam." Deeks turned to Hetty, who handed him something she had been holding behind her back. "Thanks, Hetty."

"You're quite welcome, Mr. Deeks."

"So while I was in DC," Deeks addressed his friends once again, "it became clear to me that I was not happy with my position here. Once I worked with Gibbs and the others, in a completely different setting, I realized I was more than just a cop. After I spoke with Director Vance, he agreed. So yes, I have resigned my position as LAPD liaison to NCIS. I've also resigned from the LAPD, effective immediately." He flipped his new credentials open for his team to see. "You can now address me as Agent Deeks, the newest member of the Office of Special Projects."

Sam and Callen looked at each other, grinning and shaking their heads in disbelief. Eric and Nell whooped as they hugged Deeks. Hetty stood back and smiled. Granger approached Deeks, a smile growing on his face. "Welcome aboard, Agent Deeks."

Deeks smiled, "Thank you."

Granger nodded and stepped away as Kensi turned to Deeks. "Hey partner." She grinned as she placed her forearms on his shoulders. She couldn't stop smiling as she stared deeply into his eyes.

His hands came up to rest on her hips. "Hey yourself," he smiled back.

"What's this?" Sam looked at the two partners grinning like fools as they couldn't take their eyes off each other.

"Looks like they figured things out, eh big guy?" Callen patted Sam on the shoulder.

"Awe, Eric, look at them! Aren't they cute?" Nell exclaimed giddily. Eric blushed as he watched the two forget all about where they were, lost in each other's eyes.

"So guys, is it true? Are you two officially a thing?" Sam asked, still not believing what he was seeing.

Deeks turned to Sam. "We've had our issues," he started.

"And our fears," Kensi added.

Deeks nodded in agreement. "But we're not going to fight it any longer."

Kensi spun to face the others, grabbing Deeks' hand and intertwining their fingers. They both were beaming at the amazed looks on their friends' faces.

"We've decided to go all in," Kensi admitted as she looked lovingly at her partner.

"So no more games then?" Sam asked as he looked between the two and his partner, then back again.

"No more games," they replied in unison.

"Hey guys, I hate to break this up, but we have a case," Eric interjected as he checked his tablet.

"You're timing is impeccable, Beale," Nell jabbed him in the ribs as the six of them headed for Ops, with the four congratulating Kensi and Deeks as they went.

Hetty stood there with the assistant director as they watched the team disappear up the stairs. She clasped her hands in front of her and sighed, smiling as she turned to Granger. "It's so nice to have all the kids home, isn't it?"

He met her gaze, and then looked up to the balcony. "I'll drink to that."

"It's not even 9:30 in the morning yet, Owen!"

"That never stopped us before, Henrietta."

"You make a valid point. Shall we?" She motioned towards her office.

He smiled and fell in step next to her.

 _ **The End**_


End file.
